Priyanka Mohite

Indian social entrepreneur empowering rural women through solar energy initiatives

Priyanka Mohite is the driving force behind The Sun Foundation, an organization she founded in 2010 to promote solar energy adoption in India's rural regions. Born in 1985 in Pune, Maharashtra, Mohite identified the energy poverty crisis facing India's 600 million rural residents as a critical barrier to development. Her work has equipped over 250,000 households with affordable solar solutions through innovative microfinance models.

Through her 'Solar Energy for Rural Empowerment' program, Mohite trains local women as 'Solar Sahelis' (Solar Sisters) to become solar technicians and entrepreneurs. This initiative not only provides clean energy access but also creates sustainable income streams for women typically excluded from technical fields. The program has reduced kerosene usage by 80% in participating villages and increased girls' school attendance by 35% due to improved lighting conditions.

Mohite pioneered the 'Solar Power Banking' system, allowing users to pay for solar installations through mobile-based micro-installments. This model has been replicated in Bangladesh and Nepal. Her 2018 TEDx talk 'Lighting Up Lives with Solar Power' has over 2 million views, and she was honored as a UN Women Champion in 2020.

In 2022, she launched the 'Solar Entrepreneurship Hub' - a training academy producing 500+ certified solar technicians annually. Mohite's work directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable Energy) and 5 (Gender Equality). Her biography appears in 《Women Who Light the World》, and her methodologies are studied in Stanford's social entrepreneurship courses.