DEVINA

Devina Kothari, in short, is a Problem Solver, Innovator, Industrial Designer & Strategist. After having completed her graduation from IIT Bombay, she realized that majority of the rural India's problems can be solved using technology. She began her journey by introducing electrical technology advancements right at the doorsteps in rural areas. The vision was to empower the pyramid's bottom to solve problems by themselves. This journey led her to establish the Zuan Design Lab - a company whose vision is to innovate things accessible to all to lead a better life. The team's contribution spans various verticals like healthcare, agriculture, and consumer goods. They are a team of passionate doers from different backgrounds with different perspectives on a single problem.

What is your favourite word?
I've never given it a thought. Maybe a "sponge" because I like learning from everywhere and everyone around me. I am not really a student of either economics or business but when the need arose, I learned and now I know the fundamentals of business and economy. It's the same when it comes to my knowledge of health or agriculture. I was clueless about it when I ventured into it. I am motivated by the need of the moment to cross-pollinate learnings from different verticals and apply them to solve problems creatively. Just like how a sponge absorbs water, I absorb knowledge from any direction it comes to me, and then I apply it elsewhere.

What was the moment in your life that made you Blossom into the person you are today?
Usually we try and look for a moment when somebody asks us, till then, I wonder if we even give it a thought.

To answer this question, when we are living in 'that phase' it is never one moment, there are a couple of things that add up and nudge us to look in a particular direction or embark upon a different journey.

If you ask me, I don't know what my next 10 years are going to look like. Yet I know that I will use whatever knowledge I have to ensure that at least my area, my community, and my people benefit from it

What would you want the young boys & girls to learn from your journey?
I think every adversity has an opportunity in it. Every time we see a problem, we often tend to back off or go away from it. I would suggest the young and ignited minds to rather hang on a little longer. Perhaps there will be an opportunity that is even more amazing in the future. One must take 'just one more step' before giving up.