Top-Up grant  updates
(2024-2025)

There was a significant advancement in the process of fine-tuning the new design of the improved cookstove, as was evident during the meeting in Nashik on 8th July, 2024. Using our industry partner Mr. Soumitra Kulkarni's technical design assistance on issues like the cookstove's efficiency and safety was one of the topics of discussion. One of the main changes was to make the device easier to use in rural homes. In order to actively address current issues and ensure that the results are relevant and applicable for use by end users, it is imperative that industry-academia cooperation be maintained in the future. 

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One part of the British Council Going Global Industry-Academia Collaborative Research Project was experienced at K J Somaiya Institute of Management on 7th July, 2024 where one of the partners, Professor Om Kurmi from Coventry University shared his enlightening knowledge on mortality and respiratory ailments. He also spoke about his recent paper on the Nepal Family Cohort Study while sharing, insights focusing on respiratory ailments and the evils of smoking. The meeting proved successful in not only exchanging some noteworthy idea as well as creating awareness about various health issues.

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The British Council identified project about the “Enhanced Cookstove for Improved Health and Environment” was demonstrated at the GVIC (Gram Vikas Inter College) situated in Khuthan in Shahganj, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. The interaction with students was probably the most memorable feature of the visit. The event was conducted with great administrative aspect. The learning activity involved highlighting the health benefits of low carbon emission and the need for improvements in the traditional cooking techniques. Their positive attitudes, willingness to engage and learn more about the technology and science of the cookstove and the kind of questions they asked were very impressive. As to the preferences among students, many of them expressed intentions to continue education or start their own businesses, which is rather different from previous trends. They were urged them to pass this message to their families and help improve on healthier cooking methods.  Initiatives are being undertaken to demonstrate Smokefree healthy cooking ‘Mid-day meal’ programme in a rural school with expectations that the government will support this move towards making it a success. This would ensure that students have a healthy food and also help India in achieving its Net Zero targets.

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As per the Going Global Industry-Academia Collaborative Research Project of the British Council, an informative session was organized at the Ashoka Institute of Technology and Management (AITM), Varanasi. Facts of the event attracted a large number of participant audience, which composed of several BTech students from AITM; these people did not only provide informed questions but they also availed constructive feedback.

For those students who raised interest in the idea, they were advised to attend other collaborating institutions with the view of developing partnership strategies toward the need to lower down greenhouse gas emissions and or air pollution. The messages of seriousness to improve quality of the air and minimize the harm that is caused using traditional cooking techniques reached successfully to the mass.

More arrangements to employ these findings are in the process of organizing demonstration of the original data to a rural college and the specific purpose is it shall spark interest and have an impact once again.

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Visiting the households in Chirawa, Jhunjhunu city, Rajasthan, was one of the project's activities. There, the collaborators discussed about the recently improved cookstove and got their input. This project is a component of the Going Global Collaborative by the British Council. Thanks to "Dalmi Seva Sansthan," who offered their time to the cause and make the event possible. With projects centered on rainwater collection and water recharging, Ramkrishna Jaydayal Dalmia's 'Pani and Paryavaran' (Water and Environment) has made significant contributions to society. The women were informed by the collaborators about how they could help cut down on carbon emissions by not using traditional cooking methods. Women appeared overwhelmingly eager to enforce measures that improve health and the state of the environmental quality. Their reception of the design was positive and there was an interest in continuing the improvements. Listening to the above audience and incorporating the information collected from this community will lead to enormous enhancement of the general health and improvement of the current environmental conditions in the countryside.

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