Meet Janak Palta McGilligan, the woman from Indore who has revolutionised the front of energy conservation and sustainability in India. This 74-year-old social activist has been recognised for her groundbreaking work numerous times and is also a Padma Shri awardee.
What will fascinate you guys more here is the fact that the awe-inspiring Janak lives in a house that generates an electricity bill of ZERO rupees. How, you ask? Well, we’ll soon get to that.
Change begins at home
When it comes to ‘change begins at home’, this social worker has excelled at it and how! She has designed her house in such a way that it provides for all her needs. She has a home windmill that produces electricity, poultry that provides dairy, and a farm that gives vegetables, rice, herbs, jams, spices, and even detergents, soaps, shampoo and toothpaste!
When it comes to cooking, she is an ardent user and promoter of a solar cooker. Fuel is generated here through burning old newspapers. Basically, this is an all-encompassing dream house of energy conservationists that generates zero waste or energy. Slow living at its best!
Advocator of sustainability
Heard you this morning @kiranshaw @amitabhk87 , thank you so much.I strongly recomend Solar Cookers and Solar Kitchen for Rural Women, Anganwadis, School Hostels and rural livelihood .KIndly see my work #JanakPaltaMcGilligan on weikip & Youtube I send my best wishes pic.twitter.com/DoyWhmev9y
— Dr. Janak McGilligan (@JanakPalta) May 25, 2022
A staunch advocator of sustainability, Janak is also the founder and director of Jimmy McGilligan Centre For Sustainable Development, an Indore-based NGO. The organisation has, till date, trained some 40,000 students in sustainable development.
Additionally, she is the Co-founder of Jaivik Setu, the National Coordinator for the Solar Food Processing Network India, and the former director of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore. Through the efforts, she trained more than 6,000 tribal women across 500 Indian villages in the practise of solar cooking and food processing. 500 SK 14 solar cookers have also been installed through their efforts in many villages.
Are we moving towards sustainability?
Having a life spent on living alongside tribal people, and dispensing knowledge on conserving energy and living life in a sustainable manner, Janak has constantly conveyed the message that we can save the earth if we work together and harder.
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