mid-day's 42nd anniversary: Handy saviour

Roshini Sanah Jaiswal says her distillery background helped in developing the sanitiser. Pics/Nishad Alam

Roshini Sanah Jaiswal, 54
The force behind Just Human, a 24-hour sanitiser that claims to provide all-day protection with just one application

Roshini Sanah Jaiswal hails from a family of entrepreneurs. Her grandfather, LP Jaiswal launched Jagatjit Industries in 1944 under the patronage of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala to generate employment in Punjab. "The distillery was so large that for many years it remained the largest distillery in Asia making portable alcohol."

Aristocrat Whiskey positioned itself as a tipple for those seeking finer pleasures in life. Its TVC, with the tagline Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, was voted the advertisement of the decade by the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies in 2000.

That anything can happen is evident in Jaiswal's foray into healthcare with her venture, Swanrose Inc. The Coronavirus outbreak prompted the Indian government to list sanitisers and masks as essential commodities to ensure steady availability, and prevent black marketing. Stepping up to the need, Jaiswal created Just Human, which she claims, is a 24-hour hand sanitiser that provides all-day protection with just one application. She says that even after multiple hand washes, the efficacy remains the same. The company began by supplying the Punjab government with 5,000 litres of sanitisers as part of a CSR initiative. Currently, the product is being shipped across the country. "The idea [of Just Human] came about when we realised the limitations of the common alcohol-based sanitisers, which we ourselves were producing along with large companies across the world. All alcohol-based sanitisers evaporate in 30 seconds, which means you need to use them several times a day. They leave your hands battered, and people get paranoid if they forget to use it. All in all, it was just highly inconvenient, limiting and toxic," says Jaiswal, who lived in Mumbai for 12 years before making Delhi her home.

They decided to revisit and reimagine a formulation that was developed over 30 years ago. Jaiswal says Just Human contains two specialised compounds that work together on a nano level. One compound has 70 per cent ethanol, as recommended by the CDC and WHO, which kills germs and viruses instantly. The other, an antimicrobial compound, forms a bionic shield made of non-toxic molecules that bind to your hand and provide a protective coating. "This molecule has been nano-engineered to pierce the cell walls of any microorganism, thereby instantly killing it. Once the sanitiser dries, these compounds bind themselves to the surface of the hand, providing a layer of active protection that, as lab testing shows, lasts 24 hours. In the past, they have been used in disinfectants and stronger cosmetic formulations," she claims.

The distillery background was the starting point for Swanrose. "Also, the fact that I come from this background allowed a start-up like mine to lean on the Jagatjit corporate structure which became a great enabler." The fledgling company struck gold within months of its launch, clocking a revenue of $2.2 million. Jaisal attributes the success to their agility in moving quickly by setting up supply chains across countries. "My YPO [Young Presidents' Organisation] network in the US enabled us to quickly establish credibility and trust with customers." The 24-hour efficacy is backed by GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) Lab certification, and has received US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) registration and DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) clearance in India.

There were challenges along the way. "Starting in the midst of a pandemic, not being able to travel and having to forge partnerships across the world virtually, has its own drawbacks. Fundraising takes an inordinate amount of time." What makes all of it worthwhile, says Jaiswal, is the sentiment behind the set-up. "I've launched it with the same passion to serve the people that my grandfather harboured when he launched the distillery."