Pragyaan Gaur

Pragyaan comes from Delhi - the world's most polluted city. Breathing the air in Delhi is equal to smoking 50 cigarettes in a day, and it is reducing people's lifespans by 12 years. One of the main contributors to this pollution is a toxic gas called sulfur dioxide (SO₂), which is released by industries when they burn fossil fuels. Even short exposure to sulfur dioxide can cause respiratory diseases like asthma and lung cancer, and it is also the leading cause of acid rain.

To solve this problem, Pragyaan, an 18-year-old Visioneer, started SkyCatcher. He is building a device that runs on the scientific principle of catalytic oxidation and can transform the toxic sulfur dioxide into sulfuric acid, which is a valuable resource. The device is installed on industrial stacks, and the sulfuric acid produced is sold to science laboratories and to agricultural industries for fertilizer production.

Pragyaan has already developed SkyCatcher's first working prototype and is now building a fully functional device. As he looks to the future, he envisions SkyCatcher helping industries reduce harmful emissions while creating economic value, ultimately leading to a cleaner and healthier future for communities impacted by poor air quality.