It's the 1980s and the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is testing its Noorie Lanstove – a lantern that runs without electricity and doubles up as a stove. Up until now, in nearly a century, no real attempt has been made to improve the rudimentary kerosene lamp – the main source of light for millions in India.

The institute will remain persistent, imporving on Noorie, and three decades later their efforts will pay off with Dr. Anil Rajvanshi inventing the NARI Lanstove in 2009.

This device will run on kerosene or diesel and measure light efficacy of 3400-3800 lumens – significantly greater than 65-70 lumens recorded by hurricane lanterns. And it will consume just 0.5l of kerosene per day, resulting in nominal running costs.

Women will be able to cook a meal for five in the heat of its flue gases, which will provide massive relief from the smoke, smell and eye-irritation that traditional chulhas cause. As a stove, this invention will also reduce indoor air pollution to CO levels of just < 3ppm, from < 200-400ppm caused by burning biofuel.

It will cost approx. Rs.6000 to produce a batch of 25 Lanstoves – an amount that will only get cheaper as the innovation gets mass-produced.