Bengaluru man’s ‘rocket stove’ draws attention amid LPG crisis

With the ongoing disruption in commercial LPG supply affecting restaurants across Bengaluru, 65-year-old city resident Ashok Urs has been receiving calls from hoteliers curious about an alternative he developed six years ago- a fuel-efficient “rocket stove”. 

Mr. Urs, who has worked with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in India and abroad, said he built the stove with rural households in mind, particularly in parts of Karnataka where people still depend heavily on firewood for cooking. At that time, his aim was to create awareness about more efficient ways of using biomass, especially in areas where wood was either scarce or harvested unsustainably.