Komal Panda’s journey began with a scene etched in her memory: her father, a steel factory worker, rushing home every afternoon to take his insulin shot. The scorching heat of the factory and the absence of a refrigerator stood as hurdles in his battle with diabetes.

Effective diabetes management requires insulin to be stored between 2°C and 8°C. “I’ve watched my father struggle with diabetes since I was little,” shares Komal, who also saw her diabetic friends face similar challenges in keeping their insulin vials at the optimal temperature.

Some of her friends relied on innovative hacks — using thermos flasks or chilled water bottles to cool their insulin while travelling. “These ideas were clever but cumbersome,” she recalls. This inspired Komal to think of a better solution.

As a student of the National Institute of Design, Haryana, Komal, 22, wanted to create something reliable, accessible, and easy to use. This motivation soon led her to start designing her dream invention.

She envisioned a device users would never want to leave home without. “Like how we’d never leave home without our earphones or power banks, I wanted the user to form a companionship with Novocarry,” she explains.

And thus Novocarry was born — a portable insulin carrier designed to keep insulin cool while travelling. Using advanced thermoelectric cooling (TEC) and Peltier chips, it maintains a consistent temperature of around 5°C.

Its design also includes ample storage space for insulin pens, needles, vials, and alcohol swabs, all within a compact and user-friendly structure. A dual-battery system ensures uninterrupted cooling.

From its initial bulky prototype to the sleek, refined product it is today, Novocarry evolved over time. Her father, one of the first users, tested each version and gave feedback to help Komal perfect the product’s functionality and ease of use.

In September 2024, Komal's innovation earned her the prestigious James Dyson Award. “It assured me that my product was not just ‘usable’ but also ‘desirable’. This is special since my forte isn’t in engineering,” Komal says.

With over 101 million people in India affected by diabetes, Komal hopes Novocarry will make life easier for countless diabetics, allowing them to manage their condition with greater freedom and peace of mind.

Looking ahead, Komal is filled with ideas. “The goal isn’t just to create solutions, but to find ways to improve on what already exists,” she reflects.