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Invited Talk by IIT Bombay Prof Chetan Singh Solanki on Climate Change
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023
Time: 11:30 am
Venue: Senate Room
As a highlight of his visit, Prof Solanki delivered an insightful talk on ‘A 6-Point Understanding of Climate Change and Corrective Actions.’ In his address, he emphasized that the root cause of the climate crisis lies in the use of carbon-based energy sources. To address this issue, he stressed the importance of reimagining and restructuring our energy generation and consumption practices. Prof Solanki presented two fundamental laws of human existence or sustainability and introduced a three-step AMG (Avoid – Minimize – Generate) approach. Based on this framework, he provided a straightforward six-point understanding of climate change, covering what has changed, why these changes have occurred, who is responsible, when to initiate corrective actions, and what individuals and organizations can do locally to address this global challenge.
Following his impactful talk, Prof Solanki also presented NIIT University with a symbolic gift: a ‘Climate Clock’. This gesture serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency in addressing climate change and taking meaningful action.
Changes in individual and community behavior go a long way to mitigate and reverse the disastrous effects of climate change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the concept of ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) at COP26 in Glasgow on 1st November 2021. He suggested that LiFE should be adopted as a mass movement for “mindful and deliberate utilisation, instead of mindless and destructive consumption”. Read more about this innovative movement at https://missionlife-moefcc.nic.in/ and https://www.niti.gov.in/life
About Prof Chetan Singh Solanki
Prof Chetan Singh Solanki is an educator, researcher, innovator and happiness program teacher of Art of Living, who is currently on unpaid leave from IIT Bombay. He has undertaken Energy Swaraj Yatra from Nov. 2020 through a solar bus for 11 years, until 2030. In this yatra, Prof Solanki has pledged not to go home until 11 years and stay in the solar yatra bus. In the wake of serious and catastrophic climate change, this Energy Swaraj Yatra is designed with the purpose to create a public movement towards
adoption of 100% solar energy.
He has been honored with the Brand Ambassador of Solar Energy of Madhya Pradesh Government. Prof Solanki has also been referred to as “Solar Man of India” by Times of India, The Hindu and India Today. Some people also call him “Solar Gandhi.” Following Gandhian ideals, he coined the word ‘Energy Swaraj’ and to establish Energy Swaraj globally he has founded the Energy Swaraj Foundation (ESF).
Prof Solanki has led major solar projects at IIT Bombay. Through his SoULS project he has reached 7.5 million families providing them with clean light. There are several awards to his credit, these awards includes IEEE’s global grand prize of US $100,000, Prime Minister’s innovation award for SoULS project, first prize in Solar Chulha Design Challenge by ONGC, three Guinness World Record, two Young Scientist awards, CSIR Science and Technology award, Excellence in RE Skilling, “Outstanding Green Activist” and many more.
He is the Chairman of the committee of CBSE and AICTE for solar curriculum development and member of National Focus Group on Environmental Education. He is also the advisor to a couple of international organizations. Prof Solanki has written 8 books and published over 100 research papers internationally. He has 4 US patents to his credit.
During 2019 Prof Solanki traveled across the world covering 30 countries to spread the message of solar energy. In his ongoing Energy Swaraj Yatra he has already traveled more than 28000 kms reaching about 1 lakh 30 thousand people across 17 Indian states. The 11 years yatra is expected to cover travel across the country 4-5 times. The yatra aims to bring energy literacy to over 100 crore and encourage over 1 crore families to switch 100% on solar energy.
Prof Solanki has described in his book “Energy Swaraj – my Experiments with SOLAR Truth” that adoption of Energy Swaraj or energy independence should become a public movement. His Energy Swaraj Yatra is sowing the seeds for this movement so that we all can create a better and beautiful
world.
You can read more about Prof Solanki and his work at:
Solar man of India, Chetan Singh Solanki, advocates three steps to control global warming
Prof Solanki’s IIT Bombay profile
Prof Solanki at United Nations –
Some glimpses of Prof Solanki’s NU visit
