Odisha-based Komal Panda is the national winner of India for the James Dyson Award 2024 for her innovation, Novocarry, a portable cooling carrier that helps keep insulin and other liquid medication under desired temperatures. The national winner will receive a prize money of approximately Rs 5 lakh. Novocarry's advanced cooling technology preserves insulin potency during long-distance travel, even in areas with limited electricity, and its powerful battery doubles as a charging station, making it a uniquely versatile solution. Komal's inspiration came from her father who used to struggle to store and transport insulin due to the lack of refrigeration at his office. As per the World Health Organisation report, nearly 20 per cent of temperature-sensitive healthcare products are damaged on roadways due to deficient cold chains. Novocarry addresses the lack of portability and insufficient cooling efficiency to medicines, which are essential for individuals managing diabetes and other medical conditions requiring medication stability and confidence in their storage, claimed Komal Panda. In addition to the national winner, the James Dyson Award announced Krea Limb and HydroChurn as the first and second runners-up respectively, for India. The top three entries will represent India in the international round. The final winners will be selected by Sir James Dyson himself. The James Dyson Award (JDA) invited students from 30 countries to create ingenious solutions. The 2024 edition in India showcased remarkable ingenuity, with young engineers presenting innovative solutions to real-world problems, as per a statement. For students to participate, they must be or have been within the last four years, enrolled for at least one semester in an undergraduate or graduate engineering or design-related course.
