Nitisha Agrawal

Nitisha Agrawal is a social entrepreneur and sustainability advocate who was selected as a Godrej Design Lab (GDL) Fellow for 2024.1 Here's a comprehensive overview of her background and work:

Professional Experience

Nitisha is the Founder and Director of the Smokeless Cookstove Foundation, a non-profit organization she established in January 2018.1 The foundation works to reduce indoor air pollution in rural Indian kitchens by teaching communities to build zero-cost, clean clay cookstoves.1

In addition to her role at the Smokeless Cookstove Foundation, Nitisha holds several other positions:

• Consulting Director for Social Impact at MicroEnergy Credits (since January 2024)1
• Mentor for Women in Clean Cooking at the Clean Cooking Alliance (since January 2022)1
• Social Investor at Rang De (since January 2012)1

She was also a Founding Member of Himalayan Rocket Stove from January 2017 to April 2024.1

Education and Certifications

Nitisha has a diverse educational background:

• PGPDM in Development Management from S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (2019-2020)1
• Certification in Systems View of Life from Capra Course (2022)1
• Earth Charter Educator certification from The Earth Charter Center for Education for Sustainable Development (2018)1
• Certificate in Sustainability Studies with Distinction from Wesleyan University (2014)1
• Distinction Certification in "Age of Sustainable Development" from Columbia University (year not specified)1

Godrej Design Lab Fellowship

As a GDL Fellow for 2024, Nitisha is working on further developing her work in the clean energy sector, focusing on access to credible finance and sustainable livelihoods projects.1 The fellowship involves improved cookstove installations, which is helping her understand living conditions in various communities.3

Achievements and Recognition

Nitisha's work has garnered attention in the sustainability and clean energy sectors:

• She was part of the inaugural Women in Clean Cooking (WiCC) mentorship program in 2021 as a mentee and later became a mentor in the same program.2
• Her story was featured by the Clean Cooking Alliance, which helped her expand her network and work.2
• She is a member of SAWIE (South Asian Women in Energy), a platform working towards gender equality in the energy sector.2

Nitisha Agrawal's work primarily focuses on empowering marginalized communities across India by teaching them to build zero-cost, mud-based smokeless cookstoves through her foundation's signature training program.4 Her efforts contribute significantly to reducing indoor air pollution and improving the lives of rural communities in India.