Hollis, Nashua students’ Rotary-sponsored project wins international award

When Anupama Rao, a senior at Hollis Brookline High School, learned about an opportunity to help provide photovoltaic solar power to a boys hostel in a remote village in India, her advocacy for the project was relentless. Her parents’ suggestion to send money to help the project wouldn’t satisfy Rao, a continent apart from those affected. “This is not just a solar project,” she said. “We are talking about the quality of life for hundreds of students and countless future students.” Rao’s perseverance led to winning an international award, along with two friends. For the sake of peace in the family and the realization that it may not be good idea just to send money and hope the project will somehow be done, Rao’s parents contacted local solar contractors and selected the highly recommended Sun Global Energy Systems in Bangalore, India. The company evaluated the hostel’s electrical requirements and provided a design solution in Indian rupees equivalent to $6,000. The electrical need, the solar solution, its cost and its positive social affects were presented to the Hollis-Brookline Rotary Club and to Rotary Coimbatore Spectrum in India.