IIT Bombay professor wears torn socks at 5-star: ‘To reduce carbon footprint’

A picture showing an Indian man wearing socks with holes as he sat at inside a luxury hotel in New Delhi was shared social media by a user. Now, the man, an IIT Bombay professor, has responded to the image and explained the reason behind his peculiar wardrobe choice.
Chetan Singh Solanki, who has taught at the prestigious institute for over 20 years and is known as the Solar Man of India or Solar Gandhi, said that the photo was clicked when he was delivering a talk at a leadership summit.
Solanki is on a mission to raise awareness about environmental degradation over the past few decades, travelling over 43,000 km across 20 states to promote solar energy.
“Someone snapped this photo of me at the Hyatt in Delhi, during a quiet moment before delivering my talk at the The Economic Times Energy Leadership Summit on 25th Sept,” he wrote.
“Yes, my torn socks were exposed! I need to replace them, I will and sure, I can afford to – but nature cannot. In nature, everything is finite,” the professor said, adding that while he can afford to replace his socks, nature cannot afford more waste.
Solanki said he has been making conscious efforts to make efficient use of anything he buys.
“I may use the best gadgets to enhance my productivity, but I strive to use the least amount of material to reduce my carbon footprint,” he wrote in the post.
Solanki said that just as businessmen want to increase their profit on every investment, he as a “social worker” wants to maximise the “impact of his time”
He ended the post by mentioning sustainability, leadership, climate correction and minimalism in hashtags. (Also read: IIT Bombay master’s student on life at top college: ‘Classes just 2 days a week’)
The IIT professor’s words resonated with social media users who lauded his attempt to “prioritize nature’s well-being”, while others took a light-hearted approach to the post.
“Thanks Chetan Singh Solanki , your example has given me the courage to come out of the closet as a fellow torn socks wearer! This is really reducing carbon footprint!,” one user said.
However, many users pointed to the Solanki’s efforts for India’s sustainability over the years. (Also read: This IITian gave up TCS job to become an IAS officer. His first salary was…)