Clean household energy access represented a cornerstone of human development, public health, and gender equity. For much of India’s history, however, cooking remained tied to solid biomass sources such as firewood, cow dung cakes, crop residue, and charcoal. These fuels were valued for their affordability and cultural familiarity, yet they silently imposed heavy social, physical, and environmental costs. Their presence inside households shaped how meals were cooked, how women spent their time, and how families negotiated domestic life.