How One Engineer Lit Up Pune’s Bastis

During the Covid lockdown, while distributing food and water, Javed Shaikh noticed something he couldn’t ignore. Widows and elderly people in Pune’s bastis were living in complete darkness, unable to afford electricity and relying on expensive kerosene lamps. So the engineer from Pune decided to act. Using his own earnings, he installed solar panels himself, bringing lights, fans, and phone charging facilities to families who had spent years without electricity. Despite suspicion and doubts about his intentions, Javed kept showing up. Today, over 20 families have access to solar-powered ele...