New Delhi, September 19, 2025: Professor Chetan Singh Solanki, widely known as India’s “Solar Man” and “Solar Gandhi,” has announced his resignation from IIT Bombay to dedicate himself fully to tackling climate change. His last working day at the institute will be October 23, 2025.
Prof. Solanki, who hails from a farmer family in Madhya Pradesh, has been associated with IIT Bombay for over two decades. During his tenure, he authored books, secured patents, created online courses, and established India’s largest solar energy research centre. He holds a PhD in solar energy from Europe and has been a leading voice in advancing solar education and research in India.
In 2020, he launched the Energy Swaraj Yatra through a specially designed solar bus, pledging to stay away from home for 11 years. Over the past five years, he has traveled 68,000 km, delivered more than 1,650 lectures, and promoted initiatives such as energy literacy and the Indore Climate Mission.
Explaining his decision, Prof. Solanki said, "the limit of 2 degrees Celsius global warming - beyond which climate change will become irreversible - is only 20 to 25 years away. If we cross this limit of global warming, the very existence of human life will be in danger. And our life will not only become difficult but also expensive to live everyday."
He added, “We are living in a now or never type of situation. We are living in a climate emergency and the world is fast asleep."
Advocating for sustainable living, Prof. Solanki has launched the Finite Earth Movement (FEM), based on the principle that “on a finite planet, unlimited consumption is not possible.” He emphasizes adopting the mantra of “Finite Earth – Finite Consumption”, exemplified in his own words, “I can afford, but nature cannot.”
Announcing his resignation, he stated, "I chose purpose over prestige because we are now living in a climate emergency, which is becoming a threat to human existence on the planet."
Prof. Solanki’s goal through FEM is to engage one billion people in climate action over the next three years. "My resignation is not just a career change, but a call to duty," he said. "IIT Bombay gave me prestige, but now FEM is the seed of purpose."
He has called on citizens, institutions, and governments worldwide to join the movement, urging that finite living be embraced as a global mission.
