Workers installing a solar panel on the roof of a house in Simari village in Kashmir’s Karnah valley. (India Sentinels photo via special arrangement.)
Srinagar: A remote village sitting precariously on the line of control (LoC) has been transformed through a pioneering solar power project dedicated to the memory of a decorated fallen Indian Army officer – Colonel Santosh Mahadik, Shaurya Chakra (Posthumous).
Simari village in Kashmir’s Karnah valley, known as Polling Booth No. 1 of India, has long suffered from chronic electricity shortages, with residents forced to rely on kerosene lamps and firewood. The village’s location – with half its homes visible from across the Pakistani border – underscores its strategic importance as democracy's frontline outpost.
The Army’s Chinar Corps (XV Corps), responding to villagers’ appeals, partnered with Pune-based Aseem Foundation to implement a comprehensive solution under Operation Sadbhavana.
The project has established four solar microgrid clusters across the village, each equipped with high-efficiency panels, inverters and battery banks to ensure continuous power supply. All 53 households, home to 347 residents, now have LED lighting, secure power sockets and load limiters. Additionally, LPG connections with double-burner stoves have replaced traditional wood-burning methods, reducing respiratory illnesses and protecting the valley’s ecology.
LPG connections are being given to villagers in Simari at a simple event held by the Tangdhar Brigade. (India Sentinels photo via special arrangement.)
Local sustainability has been prioritized, with Aseem Foundation engineers training village youth to maintain the system.
The initiative honours Col Mahadik, who was killed in action fighting terrorists in Kupwara district on November 17, 2015. Col Mahadik was renowned for his fearless leadership and dedication to the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
Mrs Indira Mahadik, the late officer’s mother, will inaugurate the solar network alongside the commander of Tangdhar Brigade and the deputy commissioner of Kupwara, symbolizing the unity of sacrifice, security and civil administration in promoting development.
The transformation of Simari represents more than infrastructure improvement – it stands as a testament to inclusive development in border regions and ensures that India’s first polling booth remains perpetually illuminated, carrying forward Col Mahadik’s legacy in every brightened home and classroom.
