Union Minister Piyush Goyal Honours Young Innovator Shambhavi Sharma at Bihar Idea Festival 2025 for “Low Smoke Chulha”

Patna, September 12, 2025 In a landmark recognition of grassroots innovation, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles Shri Piyush Goyal, on Thursday felicitated Shambhavi Sharma, a young innovator, AI ethicist and changemaker, at the prestigious Bihar Idea Festival 2025.

Shambhavi, a Class 12 student from Sanskriti School, Delhi, was honoured for her innovative project “Low Smoke Chulha,” a clean, cost-effective and environmentally friendly cooking solution designed for rural Bihar.

The award ceremony, held at Bapu Tower, Patna, celebrated the state’s most promising innovations in sustainability, entrepreneurship and social impact.

Congratulating the awardees, Union Minister Piyush Goyal praised Bihar’s young innovators for “transforming challenges into opportunities,” while Bihar Industries and IT Minister Nitish Mishra highlighted the festival’s role in inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs across the state.

Organised by the Bihar Industries Department, the festival brought together policymakers, innovators, industry leaders and social entrepreneurs to showcase ideas that drive sustainable development and socio-economic growth.

Shambhavi’s Low Smoke Chulha reduces indoor smoke by over 60%, saves up to 20% firewood, and supports the vision of Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Nitish Kumar’s Jeevika Didi Mission, which empowers rural families to adopt healthier and more sustainable cooking practices.

Shambhavi's idea stood out as one of the top five most impactful solutions, earning widespread recognition for its social relevance and practical implementation. "My dream is to see clean cooking technology in every household, improving the health and well-being of rural families," the 17-year-old innovator said.

Rooted in her Bihar upbringing, Shambhavi drew from childhood memories of smoky kitchens, where burning eyes and persistent coughs inspired a heartfelt solution.

Vayu Jyoti, a low-cost solution, boosts airflow by 30% and slashes smoke emissions by over 60% with its clever design - featuring two air inlets, a bypass mixing chamber, and a soot filtration zone.

Crafted from local clay or bricks at just ₹300-350, it can save 20% of firewood and cut over 1 tonne of CO₂ annually, with a vision to reach 10,000 homes through open-source sharing.

The Bihar Idea Festival, which drew thousands of participants, also recognised other outstanding innovators in fields such as clean energy, agri-tech and social enterprise, underscoring Bihar’s emergence as a hub of grassroots innovation and sustainable solutions.

The event was graced by several other eminent personalities, including Bihar Industries and Information Technology Minister Shri Nitish Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Shri Mihir Kumar Singh, senior officials of the Bihar Industries Department, and representatives from institutional partners such as IIT Patna, among others.

The gathering also featured student innovators, start-up founders, and Jeevika Didis - women entrepreneurs driving change in their communities.

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