The gross imbalance in development between rural and urban India has made 23-year-old Ashish Arora, a graduate of IIT Roorkee, leave his high-paying consultancy job, and work to provide what he calls 'social solutions in rural areas'.

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Last year, Ashish was working as a volunteer with Arbodh Innovative Rural Program (AIREP), a joint initiative of two NGOs aimed at providing education, vocation and improving health standards in the villages. During the many surveys that the NGOs had conducted, Ashish realised that the health of the people had suffered due to the traditional use of cooking fuel.

"The cooking stove emits a lot of smoke," he said. "I noticed during my visits that it had affected the villagers' lungs. Similarly, drinking water was not purified and the sanitation facilities were poor."

Ashish said he thought using an improved biomass cooking stove could provide a solution to this problem. "The biomass cooking stove cuts smoke emissions to 80%. I also decided to introduce affordable purifiers which are in use in eastern parts of the country," he said.

Keen to provide local solutions through sustainable products using global methods, his company, 'Apki technology', which he formed soon after his visits to the villages, retains a desi touch. It will work in association with AIREP.

To make it a viable business model and also ensure improved standards of living in the villages, Ashish will soon be going to New York to attend StartingBloc Fellowship, a training programme for social entrepreneurs like him. "This fellowship will let me network with 1500 like-minded people working towards social solutions. Upon return, I will be in a position to generate funds through platforms generated at the meeting," he said.

His company and AIREP are expected to begin joint operations from April 1. AIREP is expecting more youngsters to join the initiative. "Like me, more youngsters will be able to get entrepreneurial experience as we push them to act and achieve their goals," he said. The NGOs also work to provide education to young children.