Teen from Jhansi creates solar-powered cooling device for just ₹1,800
Sixteen-year-old Kalyani Srivastava built a low-cost, solar-run cooling system that can lower a room’s temperature by 4-5 °C in an hour.
In 2017, 16-year-old student Kalyani Srivastava from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, created a budget-friendly cooling unit dubbed the “Desi AC”. Built from a thermocol icebox, a 12-volt DC fan and powered by solar energy, the device costs roughly ₹1,800 and can reduce indoor temperature by about 4-5 °C within an hour, while avoiding additional electricity charges. Srivastava’s project was highlighted for its simplicity and potential to help heat-stricken rural families who cannot afford conventional air conditioners.
The invention earned commendation from Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, and was chosen for a national-level model competition associated with IIT Delhi. In 2018, the Uttar Pradesh government honored her with a Naari Samman award. While not a full-scale air conditioner, the prototype demonstrates how locally sourced materials can address climate challenges in low-income communities.
Why it matters
It shows how inexpensive, locally made technology can ease heat stress for poor households.
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