A Tribute to Bunker Roy: The Man Who Turned Village Grandmothers into Solar Engineers

cleantechnica.com Nov 10, 2026

A Tribute to Bunker Roy: The Man Who Turned Village Grandmothers into Solar Engineers

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Nov 10, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Sanjit “Bunker” Roy, founder of India’s Barefoot College, died at 81 in Tilonia, Rajasthan. Roy, a former elite‑school graduate and national squash champion, turned away from a conventional career after witnessing the 1960s Bihar famine and settled in a Rajasthan village to launch the Social Work and Research Centre, later renamed Barefoot College. The institute rejects university‑educated students, awards no degrees, and trains illiterate and semi‑literate rural women—particularly grandmothers—to become solar engineers, rainwater harvesters and health workers. By its 2022 50th anniversary, the college had educated 1,708 women from 96 countries, lighting over 75,000 households, delivering safe water to 1,650 schools and treating 300,000 patients. Roy was a Padma Shri awardee and was listed among Time’s 100 most influential people in 2010.

💡 Why It Matters

· Roy’s model proves that low‑tech, community‑rooted training can deliver sustainable energy and health services at scale, reshaping development paradigms that rely on urban expertise.

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California’s proposed ‘billionaire tax’ fails to pass

California voters rejected Proposition 40, a one‑time 5% wealth tax targeting residents with net worths over $1 billion. The measure, backed mainly by labor unions and opposed by Governor Gavin Newsom, aimed to raise up to $100 billion over five years for programs such as Medi‑Cal. Critics warned the tax could drive billionaires out of the state and deter venture capital, citing potential capital flight and reduced entrepreneurial incentives. The ballot failed in the midterm election, ending the proposal’s brief campaign.

💡 The defeat preserves California’s status as a magnet for high‑net‑worth entrepreneurs, maintaining the state’s competitive edge in tech innovation and investment.

techcrunch.com · Nov 10

A short seller flagged Nvidia CEO’s ties to a suspected Chinese spy…

Six months before Nvidia’s spy scandal broke, short‑seller firm Culper Research flagged CEO Jensen Huang’s close ties to Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore‑based Megaspeed that purchases Nvidia chips. Huang is now suspected of being a Chinese spy. Nvidia has opened an internal probe into the relationship, which the company denies is familial. U.S. intelligence believes Huang was recruited to influence Nvidia’s stance on U.S. export controls. Culper’s May 13 report highlighted the connection while examining Megaspeed’s links to Alibaba and potential chip diversion.

💡 The allegations expose a possible breach of national security protocols at a leading AI chipmaker, raising questions about the integrity of supply chains and executive oversight in high‑tech firms.

techcrunch.com · Nov 10

Jensen Huang reportedly engaged a PR firm with a history of handling…

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang hired crisis‑communications firm Heller Inc. over a year ago, a firm known for managing high‑profile sex scandals. The firm’s founder, Risa Heller, has advised figures such as Anthony Weiner, Mario Batali, and Jeffrey Toobin. Wired reports that Nvidia’s internal team copied Heller Inc. on press inquiries after a 2025 New York Times article linked Nvidia to a Singaporean data‑center company tied to China. Huang later admitted an affair with a former Megaspeed executive, prompting an independent board investigation into alleged foreign intelligence involvement.

💡 The case underscores how corporate leaders may pre‑emptively secure PR support for personal scandals that could jeopardize national security interests. It also highlights the growing scrutiny of tech firms’ ties to foreign entities amid export‑control concerns.

techcrunch.com · Nov 10

Jensen Huang’s alleged honeypot scandal has inspired some top-notch memes

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced yesterday that he had been the target of a honey‑trap operation allegedly orchestrated by a Chinese intelligence agent. The revelation, which upended his long‑standing public image as a stable, family‑oriented tech icon, quickly ignited a wave of online memes and commentary across social platforms. Huang, who co‑founded Nvidia in the 1990s and whose chips power the majority of AI startups, has no publicly disclosed succession plan, leaving investors and partners uncertain about future leadership. Nvidia’s dominance in the U.S. stock market means any internal turmoil could affect market confidence and the broader AI ecosystem that relies on its hardware. The scandal also sparked a surge of AI‑generated meme content, reflecting both public fascination and concern.

💡 The episode exposes a rare personal vulnerability at the helm of a multitrillion‑dollar AI powerhouse, raising immediate questions about corporate continuity and national‑security implications tied to its critical technology.

gamesradar.com · Nov 9

Shigeru Miyamoto: “There are two types of games – well-made games and…

Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, echoing the 1998 original’s acclaim. Shigeru Miyamoto, reflecting on past titles, noted Nintendo’s struggle to balance innovation with polish, distinguishing “well‑made” from “interesting” games. He argued that the company had shifted focus toward technical excellence, risking the creative edge that defined earlier releases. The remake’s reception raises questions about whether a modern re‑launch can match the original’s pioneering spirit.

💡 The debate spotlights how legacy studios navigate nostalgia versus innovation, a tension shaping today’s gaming landscape.

eurogamer.net · Nov 9

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang under investigation after admitting affair with alleged Chinese…

Nvidia’s board has launched an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang after a New York Times report alleged he engaged in an affair with a woman linked to Chinese intelligence. Huang issued a company‑wide apology, admitting infidelity and pledging cooperation. Independent investigators are examining whether he was targeted by foreign intelligence. The board states no evidence that national‑security or proprietary information was compromised. Huang will remain CEO during the probe. Nvidia’s market value fell from $162 billion to $150 billion following the disclosure.

💡 The case underscores the heightened scrutiny of U.S. tech leaders amid concerns over foreign influence. It also highlights the potential vulnerability of AI‑driven companies to espionage, a critical issue as the sector powers the U.S. economy.