Mukunda Muttreja

Indian social entrepreneur who developed low-cost solar microgrids to electrify 200+ rural villages in Uttar Pradesh since 2019

Mukunda Muttreja is an Indian innovator behind PowerAah, a startup that has brought electricity to over 200,000 rural households in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. Growing up in a village without reliable power, he invented the SuryaBox in 2018—a portable solar energy unit that costs 70% less than commercial solutions. His 2020 pilot project in Bulandshahr district reduced kerosene usage by 85% among participating families. Muttreja’s Pay-as-you-Go model, funded through a $2.1M World Bank grant, allows villagers to pay via mobile wallets. His Rural Electrification Accelerator program (2022) trains local women as solar technicians, creating 1,500+ jobs. In 2023, PowerAah partnered with the Indian government’s Ujala 2.0 scheme to expand coverage to 1,000 villages by 2025. Muttreja’s work was featured in Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list, and his Solar Education Kits now power 500+ schools in energy-poor regions. His open-source GridSync software, shared freely with NGOs worldwide, has been adapted in Kenya and Bangladesh for community energy management.