Rani Urja Mandala Samiti, a women-run enterprise redefining leadership in clean energy, has been honoured with the #DREWomenoftheYear Award at the India Distributed Renewable Energy Summit 2026. The summit, hosted by CLEAN and supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, recognised the Samiti’s transformative contribution to decentralised renewable energy (DRE) and women-led enterprise development.

At the heart of this achievement is the Urja Mandala anchored in eight districts of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand supported by HSBC — a model that goes beyond delivering electricity to powering local economic transformation. Supported by the Nawagarh Cluster Level Federation, the Samiti manages a 32.5-kWp women-led solar mini-grid that provides clean, affordable, and reliable energy to more than 45 micro and small enterprises in the village.

By enabling businesses to transition from diesel to solar power, the Urja Mandala has reduced operational costs, improved productivity, and catalysed local job creation. The initiative has generated over 30 local jobs and positively impacted more than 100 livelihoods. In environmental terms, the system mitigates 37.84 tCO₂ annually, demonstrating how decentralised renewable energy can simultaneously deliver economic returns and strengthen sustainability outcomes.

What makes the Urja Mandala model particularly transformative is its governance structure. Samiti members oversee smart metering, billing, customer relations, tariff negotiations, and partnerships — roles traditionally dominated by men. Today, these women are negotiating with financial institutions, coordinating with government bodies, and hosting exposure visits for national and international delegations. Patratoli has emerged as a learning hub for women-led DRE systems.

The measurable outcomes underscore the model’s impact:

● 60% increase in average annual income among entrepreneurs purchasing electricity from the Samiti

● 40% rise in incomes for women managing the Urja Mandala

● ₹45+ lakh in capital unlocked from local entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners to support solar capacity expansion and new enterprise creation

● 2,000+ individuals engaged through mobilisation and capacity building on clean energy use, enterprise development, and governance

The Samiti has built strong community trust and demonstrated that women-led energy enterprises are not only viable but scalable. The recognition at IDRES 2026 affirms what Patratoli already knows: when women lead energy systems, they power far more than electricity — they power resilient local economies.