A Shimla-based non-governmental organisation, Himalayan Research Group (HRG), has received a state innovation award for developing an affordable solar water heating system, known as the Solar Hamam, designed for households in India’s remote Himalayan regions. The innovation aims to reduce dependence on firewood while ensuring access to hot water in freezing mountain conditions.
HRG has installed the systems in 663 households across Himachal Pradesh and the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh, with plans to install another 350 units in Shimla, Chamba and Sirmaur districts. Developed under the Department of Science and Technology’s Core Support Programme, the technology uses locally available materials and can be manufactured by trained village artisans.
HRG Director Dr Lal Singh said the award recognises the organisation’s efforts to provide need-based technological solutions to communities living in difficult mountain regions.
An Innovation Designed For Mountain Life
For families living in remote Himalayan villages, access to hot water during harsh winters is not simply a matter of comfort but an important everyday necessity. Low temperatures and difficult geographical conditions often make conventional water-heating arrangements expensive or impractical, leaving households dependent on firewood and animal dung for their daily energy requirements.
Addressing this challenge, the Himalayan Research Group (HRG) developed the Mountain Solar Water Heating System, popularly known as the Solar Hamam, to provide an affordable and locally adaptable alternative. Unlike conventional systems that may require expensive materials and specialised installation, the Solar Hamam is designed around the climatic conditions and community needs of the Indian Himalayan region. Its construction uses locally available materials, allowing village artisans to fabricate the units at a comparatively low cost. The technology also requires minimal expenditure on installation and maintenance, making it more accessible to rural households.
According to the details shared about the innovation, the system’s solar heating coil can hold 18 litres of water and heat it to temperatures of 70–80 degrees Celsius within 30–45 minutes of solar illumination. A system with a capacity of 100–120 litres per day is considered sufficient to meet the hot water requirements of a family of five. HRG has already installed Solar Hamams in 663 households across Himachal Pradesh and the Zanskar Valley in Ladakh, with support from various national and international agencies.
The organisation is also working towards installing another 350 systems in Shimla, Chamba and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Pradesh. The project has received recognition through a state innovation award, which HRG Director Dr Lal Singh is scheduled to receive from Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at the state-level Independence Day function in Kangra district, along with other members of the organisation.
Explaining the significance of the recognition, Dr Singh said, “The innovation award is in recognition of the innovative nature of our approach to providing need based technology solution to the rural communities in difficult mountain areas.”
The Human Story Behind Solar Hamam
The idea behind the Solar Hamam emerged from HRG’s engagement with communities in remote Himalayan villages and its efforts to understand the everyday challenges affecting rural livelihoods. Founded in Shimla in 1997 by Dr Lal Singh and a group of professionals from different scientific disciplines, the organisation set out to use scientific knowledge to develop practical solutions for people living in geographically difficult mountain regions. One of its early initiatives involved supporting women in Maigal village, Himachal Pradesh, who needed opportunities to earn an income.
With support from the Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) and the Department of Science and Technology’s SEED programme, HRG established mushroom compost units in 2000, helping women generate additional income. However, the organisation noticed that several women frequently arrived late for training sessions or remained absent. Further interactions revealed that many were occupied with collecting firewood from forests and gathering fodder for their cattle. The problem was particularly challenging in villages situated at elevations of around 2,000 metres, where daily household responsibilities demanded considerable time and physical effort.
Dr Singh realised that the difficulty was not merely related to employment or access to income but was also connected to basic household infrastructure, particularly the availability of hot water. Women in these communities needed warm water for bathing, cleaning, cooking, drinking and even feeding their cattle. Dhaneshwari Devi, a resident of Maigal village, highlighted the extent of the problem, explaining, “At any given time, the water temperature is between 7 and 12 degrees Celsius.
We need warm water not just for chores and bathing, but also to feed the cows, cook, and even drink throughout the day.” These interactions helped HRG understand how a seemingly ordinary household requirement could influence women’s time, participation in livelihood activities and overall quality of life.
The Solar Hamam was developed as a response to these interconnected challenges, demonstrating how technology designed around local needs can address practical difficulties rather than simply introduce expensive equipment into rural communities.
Building Local Skills And Expanding Access
Himalayan Research Group has been working on technology-based livelihood solutions for remote mountain communities since its establishment. The organisation has been supported under the prestigious Core Support Programme of the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, since 2005. The Solar Hamam was developed under this programme, which supports scientific and technological interventions aimed at addressing challenges faced by underserved communities.
An important aspect of HRG’s approach is that the technology is not designed to depend entirely on external manufacturers or specialised technicians. Instead, the organisation trains local carpenters and artisans to fabricate and install the systems, creating opportunities for communities to acquire practical skills and participate directly in expanding the innovation. Training takes place at HRG’s centre in Dhangiara village in Chachiot tehsil of Mandi district, as well as through training camps organised in different villages. According to Dr Singh, the organisation is training artisans to take the technology to more areas of Himachal Pradesh, neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir, and other Himalayan states.
This decentralised approach can help reduce installation difficulties, encourage local participation and make maintenance more accessible to households. The initiative also highlights the wider relationship between household energy requirements, environmental sustainability and rural livelihoods. In many high-altitude villages, collecting firewood requires people to travel considerable distances, often through difficult terrain and extreme weather. Reducing the amount of firewood needed for daily activities can help ease this burden while encouraging the use of renewable energy.
The Solar Hamam therefore addresses more than the challenge of heating water. It offers a locally adaptable approach to improving access to basic household services, reducing dependence on traditional fuel sources and strengthening the skills of rural artisans. Its expansion across additional districts and Himalayan communities will be important in determining how widely this model can be adopted under different geographical and climatic conditions.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Access to clean energy should not remain limited to urban households. For families in remote Himalayan villages, collecting firewood and securing hot water in freezing conditions can involve hours of physical labour, often placing an additional burden on women.
The Himalayan Research Group’s Solar Hamam initiative demonstrates how scientific innovation, when guided by community needs, can improve everyday lives. Its emphasis on affordable technology, locally available materials and training village artisans makes the initiative particularly encouraging. By reducing dependence on firewood, such solutions can also promote sustainable energy practices while easing household responsibilities.
However, their long-term impact will depend on wider accessibility, continued support and affordable maintenance. Innovation should not be measured merely by awards but by the difference it makes to people’s lives.
Should more community-driven clean energy initiatives like Solar Hamam receive support to improve living conditions in India’s remote villages?
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