Diesel generators remain an important source of backup electricity for hospitals, factories, commercial buildings, construction sites, data centres, railway facilities and public infrastructure across India. Their reliability makes them difficult to replace immediately, yet their exhaust can release particulate matter, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and other pollutants into densely populated urban and industrial environments.
Gurugram-based Chakr Innovation is addressing this problem through an Indian-developed retrofit approach. Its flagship product, Chakr Shield, is fitted to the exhaust system of an existing diesel generator and is designed to reduce harmful emissions without requiring the operator to discard or replace the generator.
The company describes Chakr Shield as India’s first type-approved Retrofit Emission Control Device, or RECD, for diesel-generator sets. Its broader objective is to make pollution control practical, measurable and scalable across the large installed base of diesel generators already operating in the country.
From an Everyday Pollution Problem to a Cleantech Company
Chakr Innovation was founded in 2016 by IIT Delhi graduates Kushagra Srivastava, Arpit Dhupar and Prateek Sachan. The company’s origin is linked to a common urban scene: a diesel generator operating near a sugarcane-juice stall had blackened a nearby wall with soot.
The incident highlighted a wider problem. Diesel generators were essential to many businesses, but the pollution they produced was often released directly into the surrounding air. Replacing every generator with a new power system would be expensive and impractical, particularly for smaller establishments.
The founders therefore focused on a retrofit device that could be integrated with existing machines. Chakr Shield was introduced in the company’s early years as a way to intercept pollutants at the exhaust before they entered the atmosphere.
This idea placed Chakr Innovation at the intersection of material science, mechanical engineering, pollution control and circular use of recovered carbon.
What Is Chakr Shield?
Chakr Shield is a Retrofit Emission Control Device for diesel generator sets. It is installed in the generator’s exhaust line and treats the exhaust gases while the generator continues to operate.
According to the company, the system can reduce particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by as much as 90%, depending on the generator, operating conditions and approved configuration. It is designed to offer a lower-cost compliance route for organisations that still depend on functioning diesel generators.
The principal advantage of the retrofit model is that the diesel generator itself can remain in service. Hospitals, industrial plants and commercial buildings can therefore reduce emissions without undertaking the full capital expense and disruption associated with immediate generator replacement.
Chakr states that the system is compatible with diesel-generator sets across different capacities, subject to engineering assessment and appropriate sizing.
How the Technology Works
Chakr Shield uses a combination of exhaust-treatment processes to target pollutants produced during diesel combustion.
The company explains that the device applies oxidation and regenerative trapping principles. The oxidation stage treats carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream. A particulate-control stage captures fine carbonaceous particles, including soot and black carbon, before they are discharged through the exhaust outlet.
Diesel particulate filters must be engineered carefully because excessive restriction in the exhaust line can create backpressure and affect engine performance. Chakr states that its system is designed to capture particulate matter without imposing significant adverse effects on generator operation. The precise catalyst composition, filter design and regeneration process remain proprietary.
The company’s technology has evolved from its early particle-capture concept into a catalyst-based RECD engineered to meet formal testing and regulatory requirements.
Capturing Pollution Instead of Merely Dispersing It
Conventional generator exhaust stacks direct pollutants away from the immediate operating area, but they do not eliminate the pollution. Fine particles remain suspended in the atmosphere and can travel beyond the generator site.
A retrofit emission-control device changes this approach by treating the exhaust at source. Instead of relying only on stack height or physical distance, the system is intended to capture or transform pollutants before release.
This is especially relevant in cities where generators may operate close to offices, homes, schools, hospitals and construction workers. Even generators used only during power failures can produce concentrated local emissions when many units operate simultaneously.
Chakr Shield is therefore best understood as an end-of-pipe pollution-control technology for existing infrastructure.
Turning Captured Carbon into Ink Pigment
One of the most distinctive elements of Chakr Innovation’s original model was the reuse of captured particulate carbon.
Rather than treating the recovered soot only as waste, the company developed a process to purify and convert it into a carbon-based pigment that could be used in ink and printing applications. The government’s India Science, Technology and Innovation portal states that the captured particulate matter can be processed into a non-toxic ink pigment.
This circular approach gave the company its name. “Chakr” refers to a cycle in which a harmful emission is captured and redirected into a usable material.
The idea demonstrates a broader principle of Indian cleantech development: pollution-control systems can create greater value when they combine emission reduction with resource recovery.
The company’s current commercial emphasis is centred on certified emission-control systems and regulatory compliance, while the carbon-to-ink concept remains an important part of its innovation history.
Type Approval and Regulatory Relevance
Emission-control equipment installed on diesel generators must function under varying loads, temperatures and operating cycles. Claims made in a laboratory are therefore insufficient without standardised testing and certification.
Chakr Innovation says Chakr Shield became India’s first RECD to receive type approval through laboratories recognised for testing under the Central Pollution Control Board framework. The company identifies the International Centre for Automotive Technology in Manesar and the Automotive Research Association of India in Pune among the institutions associated with testing and approval.
Type approval is important because it verifies an approved product configuration against prescribed performance requirements. Actual installation still requires correct matching with the generator’s rating, proper commissioning and regular maintenance.
The demand for RECD systems has grown as pollution-control authorities have tightened requirements for diesel generators, particularly in the National Capital Region and other highly polluted urban areas.
Chakr positions its product as a compliance tool for organisations responding to requirements associated with the Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards, the Commission for Air Quality Management and the National Clean Air Programme.
Designed for the Existing Generator Fleet
India has a very large installed base of diesel generators. These machines differ substantially in age, manufacturer, capacity, engine design, operating hours and maintenance condition.
A successful retrofit solution must therefore be adaptable rather than limited to a single new generator model.
Before installation, the generator and site generally require assessment covering:
- Generator capacity and engine configuration
- Exhaust temperature and flow characteristics
- Available installation space
- Existing silencer and exhaust arrangement
- Typical operating load
- Backpressure limits
- Access for cleaning and maintenance
- Applicable regulatory requirements
The system must then be sized and commissioned for the specific installation.
This engineering-led deployment model separates an industrial RECD from a simple universal exhaust attachment. Its performance depends on the quality of the hardware, correct integration and continued maintenance.
Applications Across Indian Industry
Chakr Shield is intended for organisations that operate stationary diesel-generator sets for backup or supplementary power.
Potential users include manufacturing plants, hospitals, hotels, shopping centres, office campuses, railway facilities, warehouses, telecom infrastructure, educational institutions, residential complexes and construction projects.
The company reports installations across private companies, industrial facilities and public-sector organisations. Its website cites a 380-kVA diesel-generator installation at Indian Railways’ Hubballi station in 2020. According to Chakr, a review conducted four years later found that the system continued to operate satisfactorily, supporting its claims of long-term durability.
Chakr lists organisations such as petroleum companies, major manufacturers, e-commerce businesses and infrastructure operators among users of its technologies. These company-reported references demonstrate the range of sectors in which generator-emission controls can be deployed.
Scale Achieved by Chakr Innovation
Chakr Innovation states that it had completed more than 4,000 Chakr Shield installations across India by 2024 and had developed a customer base exceeding 1,000 organisations. A newer product page refers to more than 1,500 customers. These figures are company-reported and may reflect different reporting dates or definitions of customer relationships.
The company has also expanded its manufacturing capacity in Gurugram. Its timeline records the establishment of a second facility for Chakr Shield production in 2023, alongside facilities linked to its aluminium-air technology programme.
The transition from a student-founded startup to a multi-product manufacturing company illustrates the commercial potential of environmental technologies built around Indian regulatory and operating conditions.
More Than a Single Pollution-Control Product
Although Chakr Shield remains the company’s flagship offering, Chakr Innovation has expanded into a broader portfolio of clean-air and energy technologies.
Chakr Dual Fuel Kit 2.0
The Dual Fuel Kit enables compatible diesel generators to operate using a combination of diesel and natural gas. The objective is to reduce diesel consumption, operating costs and certain emissions while retaining the generator’s power-backup function.
The precise fuel-substitution ratio varies with load and generator configuration. Chakr’s earlier material described operation using a mixture containing a high share of natural gas and a smaller diesel component.
Chakr DeNOx
Chakr DeNOx targets nitrogen-oxide emissions from diesel and gas engines. The company says the system uses Selective Catalytic Reduction and an indigenously developed non-platinum-group-metal catalyst to achieve reductions of up to 80%.
This complements Chakr Shield because particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are different pollutant classes from nitrogen oxides and may require separate treatment stages.
Chakr DeSmog
Chakr DeSmog is an automated dust-suppression system for construction and industrial sites. It is intended to reduce airborne PM2.5 and PM10 generated by demolition, earth movement, material handling and exposed surfaces.
Emission Monitoring Systems
The company also supplies systems for continuous emission and ambient-air monitoring. These include solutions associated with online continuous emission monitoring, continuous emission monitoring and continuous ambient-air-quality monitoring.
Monitoring equipment helps operators track pollution levels, document compliance and identify changes in equipment performance.
Generator Monitoring and IoT
Chakr’s digital systems can collect operational information from diesel generators and emission-control equipment. Such monitoring can support preventive maintenance, fuel analysis and remote compliance management across multiple sites.
Aluminium-Air Energy Technology
Beyond air pollution control, the company has been developing aluminium-air systems in which aluminium participates in an electrochemical process to generate electricity.
Chakr has presented prototypes and concepts for mobility and stationary-energy applications. Aluminium-air technology has potential advantages in energy density and material availability, although recharge, aluminium recycling, electrolyte management and commercial economics remain central development challenges.
Indigenous Material Science as the Core Capability
Chakr Innovation’s significance extends beyond the physical form of the Chakr Shield device. Its deeper capability lies in catalyst development, particulate filtration, exhaust-flow engineering, materials processing and system integration.
Pollution-control products must work in harsh conditions involving heat, vibration, corrosive exhaust compounds and rapidly changing engine loads. Developing such equipment requires expertise in:
- Catalytic materials
- Filtration media
- Thermal management
- Exhaust-gas chemistry
- Mechanical design
- Embedded sensing
- Control electronics
- Manufacturing quality
- Field servicing
Building these capabilities domestically supports India’s ability to design environmental hardware suited to local fuels, operating practices and climatic conditions.
Chakr reports seven granted patents and 35 patent applications across its technology portfolio. These figures are company-reported and indicate an active intellectual-property strategy around its material-science and clean-air systems.
Funding and Industrial Expansion
Scaling a hardware startup requires considerably more capital than building a purely digital product. Manufacturing plants, testing laboratories, field-service teams, certification programmes and inventory all require sustained investment.
Chakr’s official company timeline states that it raised ₹500 million in Series B funding through SBI Capital Ventures in 2021. It records further investment and debt financing in subsequent years, including financing from the Export-Import Bank of India and ₹550 million from British International Investment in 2024.
In 2025, media reports said the company raised an additional $23 million in a round led by Iron Pillar, with participation from existing investors. The funding was intended to support growth, product development and expansion.
Investment at this scale reflects the growing commercial importance of pollution-control equipment as emission standards become more stringent.
Recognition for an Indian Clean-Air Innovation
Chakr Shield received the WWF-India Climate Solver Award for its potential to capture up to 90% of particulate matter from diesel generators and reduce black-carbon emissions.
The company has also been associated with recognitions from NITI Aayog, Forbes and international innovation programmes. Its official material refers to awards including Champions of Change, the Echoing Green Fellowship and inclusion among social entrepreneurs.
More recently, Chakr Innovation received the Social Enterprise honour at the Economic Times Startup Awards 2025 for its technology-led approach to pollution reduction.
Awards cannot substitute for verified field performance, but they have helped bring attention to a category of Indian hardware innovation that often receives less visibility than consumer-facing startups.
Why the Retrofit Model!
The long-term transition to cleaner electricity will require more reliable power grids, energy storage, renewable generation, gas systems and other low-emission alternatives. Diesel generators may gradually lose importance as these systems expand.
That transition, however, will take time. Many generators already installed today may remain in use for years, especially where uninterrupted backup power is essential.
Retrofit emission controls occupy the space between continued uncontrolled operation and complete replacement. They can deliver a more immediate reduction in local pollution while organisations plan their eventual transition to cleaner power sources.
This makes Chakr Shield a bridge technology. It improves the environmental performance of existing assets but does not turn diesel generation into a zero-emission energy source.
The generator continues to consume fossil fuel and produce carbon dioxide. The system’s principal benefit lies in reducing harmful local air pollutants such as soot, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
Limits and Maintenance Requirements
Retrofit systems require proper operation and maintenance to retain their effectiveness.
Filters can accumulate material, catalysts can deteriorate, sensors can fail and generator engines can fall out of tune. Poor-quality fuel, extended low-load running and irregular servicing can also influence emissions and treatment-system performance.
Users therefore need a maintenance plan covering inspection, cleaning, regeneration, pressure checks and replacement of consumable or ageing components.
Performance claims should also be interpreted within their tested scope. A stated reduction of “up to 90%” represents performance under specified configurations and conditions rather than a guarantee that every installation will produce an identical result.
Independent periodic emission testing remains important, especially for generators operating near sensitive locations.
Contribution to Make in India
Chakr Innovation represents a form of Make in India entrepreneurship centred on solving a domestic environmental problem through indigenous engineering.
Its contribution can be seen in several areas:
Local product development: The core technology has been developed around Indian diesel-generator conditions and regulatory requirements.
Domestic manufacturing: Chakr has established manufacturing capacity in Gurugram for its emission-control and energy products.
Import substitution: Indigenous catalysts, filters, monitoring systems and control hardware can reduce dependence on fully imported pollution-control equipment.
Skilled employment: The company employs professionals across material science, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, electronics, field installation and environmental compliance.
Industrial decarbonisation support: Although an RECD primarily reduces local pollutants rather than carbon dioxide, it helps Indian industry improve environmental performance while transitioning toward cleaner energy.
Export potential: Countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East operate large fleets of diesel generators under conditions similar to India. A robust Indian RECD platform could therefore have international applications.
The Larger Opportunity
Air-pollution control is becoming a major engineering market. Stronger regulation creates demand for certified equipment, but durable commercial success depends on consistent performance rather than compliance paperwork alone.
Chakr Innovation’s future opportunity lies in combining hardware, catalysts, monitoring and service contracts into complete emission-management systems.
A customer operating hundreds of generators may require more than individual devices. It may need centralised monitoring, preventive maintenance, automated compliance records, fuel optimisation and measured emission reductions across every site.
Chakr’s expansion into IoT, continuous monitoring, dust suppression and NOx control suggests that it is moving toward this broader platform model.
An Indian Solution for Cleaner Transitional Power
Chakr Innovation began with a visible soot stain and developed that observation into a commercial clean-air technology company.
Its Chakr Shield system addresses a practical national challenge: how to reduce emissions from thousands of diesel generators that remain essential but cannot all be replaced immediately.
By combining retrofit engineering, indigenous catalyst development, formal type approval, domestic manufacturing and field deployment, the company has built a notable position in India’s emerging pollution-control industry.
Chakr Shield is not a substitute for the eventual shift away from fossil-fuel backup power. Its importance lies in making the existing generator fleet cleaner during that transition.
For India’s Make in India programme, Chakr Innovation demonstrates how domestic deep-tech companies can convert environmental regulation into industrial capability—creating products that improve public health, strengthen local manufacturing and offer potential for deployment well beyond India.
Reference
- Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“Chakr Innovation – Cleantech Innovators for Clean Air Solutions.”
Official company website.
https://chakr.in/ - Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“Chakr Shield – Retrofit Emission Control Device for Diesel Generators.”
Official product information covering type approval, emissions reduction, applications and installation.
https://chakr.in/chakr-shield-recd/ - Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“About Us – India’s Cleantech Solutions for Emission Reduction and Air Quality.”
Official company history, technology portfolio, funding milestones and deployment figures.
https://chakr.in/about-us/ - Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“Cut Diesel Generator Emissions with Chakr Shield Retrofit Emission Control Device.”
Official explanation of the oxidation and regenerative-trap technology used in Chakr Shield.
https://chakr.in/cut-diesel-generators-emissions-with-chakr-shield-retrofit-emission-control-device-recd/ - India Science, Technology and Innovation Portal, Government of India.
“Diesel Generator Emission Control Device.”
Official technology profile describing Chakr Shield’s particulate-capture system and conversion of recovered carbon into ink pigment.
https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in/innovations/industrial-innovations/diesel-generator-emission-control-device - WWF-India.
“6th WWF Climate Solver India Awards Recognise SMEs.”
Official recognition of Chakr Shield as a retrofit technology capable of capturing up to 90% of particulate matter from diesel generators.
https://www.wwfindia.org/?17821/6th-WWF-Climate-Solver-India-Awards - Startup India, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.
“Five Years of Startup India – Achievement Report.”
Includes Chakr Innovation’s account of developing emission-control technology for diesel generators.
https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/dam/invest-india/Templates/public/5_years_Achievement_report%20_%20final%20%281%29.pdf - Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“Chakr DeNOx – NOx Reduction Solution for Diesel and Gas Generators.”
Official information on the company’s indigenous selective-catalytic-reduction technology.
https://chakr.in/chakr-denox/ - IIT Delhi.
“Chakr DeCoV Developed by IIT Delhi and Chakr Innovation.”
Official IIT Delhi information on the company’s collaboration during the COVID-19 period.
https://home.iitd.ac.in/news-chakr.php - Chakr Innovation Private Limited.
“Press and Media.”
Official repository of company awards, announcements and media coverage.
https://chakr.in/press-media/ - Image Courtesy: https://chakr.in/
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