An innovative approach to clean indoor air has earned a Delhi teenager international recognition. Krish Aggarwal, a Class 12 student at Sanskriti School, has been recognised with a place on the 2026 Diana Award Roll of Honour for co-founding Project Vayu. The initiative repurposes conventional household and classroom fans into low-cost air purifiers, with a particular focus on schools serving economically disadvantaged communities.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of indoor air pollution, with microscopic airborne particles linked to respiratory complications and impaired cognitive development. Conventional air purification systems remain beyond the reach of many schools because of their cost.
This prompted Krish and his co-founder, Samarth Meattle, who is studying in Class 11 at Vasant Valley School, to explore a simpler and more economical approach.
At the heart of Project Vayu is a filter available for just Rs 140. Compatible with commonly used wall and table fans, it relies on electret media to attract and capture fine PM2.5 pollutants.
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The filter is designed for easy installation, expanding into a balloon-shaped cover that provides approximately five square feet of surface area. It is then fastened around the fan grille with an elastic edge. According to the founders, fitting the device takes under a minute, with no additional equipment or technical skills needed.
Project Vayu has expanded its reach across several under-resourced schools in Delhi, with more than 10,000 students benefiting from the initiative so far. Each filter costs Rs 140 and needs to be replaced every month, keeping the overall expense relatively low.
The filters are supplied to schools free of charge, with the initiative operating on a social welfare model rather than a profit-driven approach.
The Diana Award honours young individuals whose work has made a positive difference to society, continuing the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales. Krish's achievement brings attention to the contribution of young people in finding practical answers to environmental problems.
Alongside his work on Project Vayu, he has been involved in advocating scientifically supported environmental measures and promoting sustainable initiatives that can be implemented at the grassroots level.
As air pollution continues to trouble major cities, especially during the winter months, Project Vayu highlights the potential of simple, community-driven interventions. Its low-cost model could be replicated in other resource-constrained settings, offering schools a practical means of improving indoor air quality without investing heavily in conventional purification systems.
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