The two-minute ride down seems much longer than that.
Once we reach the bottom of the shaft, we begin a 3.5 kilometer walk underground to the site where miners are excavating coal.
For almost an hour, we trudge through the slush, the light from our safety helmets the only illumination underground. Our protective clothes and faces quickly develop a black layer of coal dust.
Coal is a polluting fossil fuel, which currently powers more than 60% of India. The government produced 462 million tonnes of it last year and is targeting a billion tonnes by 2019.
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Alternative sources
India is also moving ahead with a civil nuclear deal with the United States. Progress was made when U.S. President Barack Obama visited New Delhi last month but it will take years for nuclear energy to power India in a significant way.
It’s a balancing act for Modi, who has to manage international pressure regarding climate change on the one hand, and domestic pressure at home to illuminate lives and homes in India.
Deep underground, miners work around the clock, seven days a week to power the country. It’s hoped in the future, newer, greener technology will be in place to spare the environment and share the load.
