Dr Srikanth Sola and Devic Earth: Transforming Air Pollution Solutions with Pure Skies Technology

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

Dr Srikanth Sola, a Stanford University alumnus, left a successful cardiology career at the Cleveland Clinic (US) to return to India in 2008 with a mission to serve his country.

What he witnessed was alarming—young individuals in their 20s and 30s suffering from heart attacks, often linked to severe air pollution. This became the catalyst for his journey to find scalable solutions to improve air quality for millions.

In 2018, he founded Devic Earth, a green technology company focused on scientifically proven solutions for environmental pollution. In July, the company launched its flagship product Pure Skies, designed to combat large-scale air pollution.

“Air pollution kills seven million people annually, according to global research, with nearly half of these deaths linked to heart disease,” he notes.

How much investment went into Devic Earth – is it a bootstrapped company or investor-backed?

Over the past decade, Devic Earth has invested heavily in research and development, initially supported by angel investors.

More recently, the company raised a Pre-Series A funding round from Blue Ashva Capital. This funding has enabled team expansion, operational scaling, and preparation for international growth.

Tell us more about Pure Skies – its technology and market response.

Pure Skies has already seen over 40 installations across India. The technology can cover vast outdoor areas—spanning hundreds of acres—through a network similar to commercial Wi-Fi systems.

It improves air quality by 33% to 90% by reducing harmful pollutants such as PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulphur dioxide (SO2).

The system uses a network of nodes that function like Wi-Fi extenders, ensuring widespread coverage and efficiency.

Pure Skies has been adopted across industries including steel, cement, mining, telecom, and hospitality. It is also effective for urban environments dealing with pollution from construction, crop burning, and industrial emissions.

Pure Skies is expensive. Is there a more affordable option?

Pure Skies is primarily a B2B solution designed for industries, cities, and large-scale operations. To make it more accessible, Devic Earth offers a Clean Air Subscription model.

This approach allows organisations to benefit from advanced air purification technology without heavy upfront costs, making clean air solutions more scalable and accessible.

With the rise of smart cities, such technologies are expected to play a crucial role in improving urban living standards, productivity, and sustainability.

“Air pollution is not limited to outdoors or indoors…”

“Out of the seven million deaths caused by air pollution each year, indoor air pollution accounts for 3.8 million. Limited air circulation indoors often leads to higher pollutant concentration. However, pollution cannot be confined—it moves across environments.”

Any new technological solutions in the pipeline?

Devic Earth is exploring advanced solutions, including technologies to neutralise coronavirus particles and innovations for carbon capture to address the broader climate crisis.

How is air pollution linked to mortality, especially during a pandemic?

Air pollution remains a leading global health risk, responsible for millions of deaths annually.

Long-term exposure damages the lungs, weakens immunity, and triggers inflammation, making individuals more vulnerable to diseases like COVID-19.

Studies, including those from Harvard University, show a direct link between high pollution levels and increased disease severity and spread.

Air pollution also contributes to chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer—comorbidities that significantly worsen health outcomes.

How have air pollution levels evolved globally?

Countries like China have made notable progress in improving air quality through strict regulations.

However, regions such as South Asia and Africa still face major challenges and require stronger policy frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.

How does air pollution aggravate COVID-19?

Air pollution increases both the severity and fatality risk of diseases like COVID-19. Pollutants weaken respiratory health and can even act as carriers for viruses.

The presence of pre-existing conditions caused by pollution further amplifies the impact of infections, making it a critical public health concern.