India is no stranger to innovation born out of
necessity, and this summer, the country is experiencing a creativity boom like
never before—all thanks to the arrival of Mark Rober, YouTube
phenomenon, ex-NASA engineer, and the brain behind the world's most viral
science pranks. Making his first-ever trip to India, Rober is on a mission to
find and reward the best “Jugaad” minds across the country with a game-changing
contest.
Rober touched down in Mumbai in late April 2025,
kicking off his India tour with high energy and even higher expectations. His
presence created a whirlwind of excitement not just among science fans, but
also across YouTube circles, student communities, and creators eager to meet
the engineering genius in person. He made a surprise appearance at IIT Bombay’s
tech fest, where he delivered a talk on creativity and resilience in
engineering, leaving the audience inspired and buzzing.
During his stay, Mark also attended a science
carnival hosted in Delhi in collaboration with the National Science Centre. The
event witnessed thousands of young minds displaying their homegrown
innovations. Rober interacted with children, educators, and grassroots
innovators, often pausing to admire contraptions made from bicycle parts,
discarded electronics, and even kitchen utensils. “India is like a live
workshop of ideas,” he remarked while judging a quick-fire innovation round at
the event.
But what truly made this visit go viral was Mark’s collaboration
with India’s most influential content creators. In Gurgaon, he filmed an
engaging episode with CarryMinati, fusing comedy with creativity as the
duo tried building a working vending machine out of cardboard, glue, and a
bunch of recycled parts. The video trended within hours.
In Pune, Rober teamed up with Mr. Indian Hacker,
famous for DIY experiments. Together, they created a hoverboard using
hairdryers and plywood—pure madness, pure genius, and wildly entertaining.
Another major highlight was his cooking-meets-engineering challenge with Curly
Tales, where Mark turned a kitchen into a science lab to cook using only
solar heat and metal reflectors.
Each collaboration not only entertained millions
but also echoed a deeper message: science and innovation are for everyone—not
just engineers in labs.
And at the heart of Mark Rober’s India visit is the
#MarkRoberJugaad contest, which invites anyone aged 8 and above
to build something cool and useful using only household items. The idea is to
celebrate everyday creativity—a principle Indians have mastered through their unique
culture of “jugaad,” or frugal innovation.
To enter, participants must record a short video of
their invention and post it publicly on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or X
using the hashtag #MarkRoberJugaad. However, simply posting isn’t
enough. Contestants must visit www.markroberjugaad.com and submit the link to their video for the entry to be
valid.
The contest runs from April 30, 2025, to
September 15, 2025, and is open exclusively to legal residents of India. If
the participant is under 18, the video and entry must be submitted by a parent
or legal guardian. The top ten most creative entries will each win a
prize of ₹5 lakh, making this one of the biggest DIY contests the
country has seen.
Backed by CrunchLabs, Rober’s
California-based innovation company, the contest is part of a broader mission
to get children and adults alike excited about hands-on science. CrunchLabs,
known for its monthly STEM toy kits and engineering build boxes, has taken this
philosophy global—and now, through this contest, it’s resonating deeply with
India’s jugaadu spirit.
Mark Rober’s visit has become more than a
promotional tour. It’s now a national movement—a call to think, tinker, and
create. Whether it’s a schoolkid in Indore building a mini-windmill from
plastic bottles or a college student in Kolkata designing a smart dustbin,
India is answering.
The clock is ticking till September 15. With ₹5
lakh up for grabs, the world is watching India’s inventiveness unfold—one
jugaad at a time.
