In the shadow of the centuries-old fort of Pratapgarh, lies this village Guwada gujran which seems to be stuck in time. It's never known electricity.

Nights here would be spent in darkness or in the light  of kerosene lamps and their toxic fumes.

But in the last two months, solar power lamps have changed the lives of the hundred-odd families in this village.

Guwada Gujran is one of the first villages taken up by TERI's Lighting a Billion Lives initiative - thanks to the money raised during the NDTV TOYOTA Greenathon, a 24 hour telethon for the environment held in February this year.

Giriraj Prasad, an entrepreneur, had heard about TERI's solar lamps from neighbouring villages where the project was implemented and had asked the NGO to come to his village as well. As the only person from Guwada attending college, he wants a better deal for the next generation.

"Children don't manage to study in the day as they have to work in the fields. People here don't understand what studying is. They think just going to school is enough. Now children can study a lot better," says Giriraj.

The lamps cost just 2 rupees a night to hire - much cheaper than kerosene.

Earlier Suman and Suresh would not be able to study at night as it was just too expensive for their families. But now, that's no longer a problem.