Latest news with #TOIEcopreneurHonours2025
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
TOI celebrates 26 ecopreneurs steering country's green shift
New Delhi: To celebrate changemakers driving India's green transition, the TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 was held on Aug 4, recognising individuals, startups and corporates making significant strides in sustainability. The award, hosted by The Times of India, honoured 26 changemakers for steering the nation towards net-zero goals in various fields, from renewable energy, zero-waste living to water conservation. Delivering the keynote address, Udai Shanker Awasthi, managing director of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative, stressed the need for sustainable agriculture and urged youths to develop solutions balancing growth with environmental care. "The patents and innovations by ecopreneurs must be protected. Their products and the money invested in them must not go waste," he said. Among the 26 honorees were Malhar Kalambe's Beach Please for youth-led cleanups, Mayank Nagori's Gud Gum for plastic-free chewing gum and Chirag MG's Sunbird Straws for natural alternatives to plastic. Prachi Shevgaonkar was recognised for her climate-action app Cool The Globe, alongside environmentalists Pradeep Sangwan, Pankti Pandey and Marimuthu Yoganathan for their grassroots efforts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Innovative startups like Without, Woolah Tea, Dharaksha Ecosolutions, Mahina, HealthFab, Ecoil, Packmate, Bare Fruit and Gen-E were lauded for solutions in waste upcycling, sustainable menstruation, eco-packaging, clean fuel and climate storytelling. Companies, including Hero MotoCorp, Adani Green Energy, Godrej Properties, Shree Cements, JSW Energy, Jain Irrigation, Organic Mandya, Suzlon Energy and Eternal (formerly Zomato), were honoured for embedding sustainability into business practices through green energy, mobility, innovation and conservation. The event also featured two panel discussions. The first, The Power of the Citizen: Redefining Environmental Activism in the Digital Age, was led by Shevgaonkar and Kalambe, two of the honorees. The second, From Boardroom to the Road: Integrating Sustainability into India's Growth Strategy, brought together industry leaders Anjali Ravi Kumar of Zomato, Hero MotoCorp's Ram Kuppuswamy, Adani Green's Pankaj Verma and Abhijeet Sinha of National Highway for EV.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025: Corporate leaders make case for sustainability; call for ground-level shift
TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 At the TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 held in Delhi on Monday, a thought-provoking panel titled "From Boardroom to the Road: Integrating Sustainability into India's Growth Strategy" brought together top industry leaders who outlined how sustainability is no longer a corporate accessory but a foundational growth driver for India's future. The session featured Anjali Ravi Kumar, chief sustainability officer at Zomato; Ram Kuppuswamy, COO of Hero MotoCorp; Pankaj Verma, chief sustainability officer at Adani Green Energy Limited; and Abhijeet Sinha, program director at National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV). Each panelist detailed how their organisation is embedding sustainability into core operations—beyond CSR—and why doing so is key to long-term success. 'We have always embedded sustainability at the heart of our products, services, and customer outreach,' said Kuppuswamy, stressing that Hero MotoCorp has intensified its green efforts over the past decade. 'It's not just a responsibility but a strategic necessity for all stakeholders.' Pankaj Verma echoed this sentiment, highlighting how Adani Green Energy has built its business model around sustainability. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Update: The Strategy Uses By Successful Intraday Trader TradeWise Learn More 'From strategy to execution, we've aligned everything with long-term environmental goals. Even our suppliers are improving on these aspects,' he said, adding that their roadmap is reviewed and approved by the Board. Zomato's Anjali Ravi Kumar noted that Gen Z and younger consumers are driving awareness. 'Sustainability matters, but the primary functionality like delivery speed or pricing cannot be compromised. Green practices are now a value addition,' she said. She cited Zomato's success in offsetting plastic waste: 'Each of our food deliveries is 100% plastic neutral. We've recycled about 45,000 metric tonnes of plastic. ' Abhijeet Sinha brought a philosophical lens, urging India to develop a model based on indigenous thinking rather than replicating Western frameworks. 'India's green future must emerge from its own wisdom. If we fail to do this, we risk losing our identity,' he warned. The discussion also touched upon urban challenges like the worsening condition of Gurugram. Kuppuswamy pointed out that personal responsibility must go hand-in-hand with systemic reform, while Verma stressed the need to embed sustainability from the planning phase itself. Sinha added that the issue has become a matter of civic and electoral concern. Together, the panellists highlighted that India's green transformation will require both top-down strategies and grassroots participation. As one panellist put it, 'Sustainability is not a choice anymore—it is the roadmap.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025: Youth-led movements and digital platforms drive environmental action
TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 At the TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 held in Delhi on Monday, the first panel of the evening ,The Power of the Citizen: Redefining Environmental Activism in the Digital Age, showcased two young changemakers leading by example in the fight against climate change. Prachi Shevgaonkar, founder of Cool The Globe, and Malhar Kalambe, founder of Beach Please India, discussed how their grassroots movements have turned individual responsibility into large-scale environmental impact, using digital tools and community engagement as key drivers. Malhar Kalambe, whose journey began with a simple beach clean-up, highlighted the power of hands-on experience in shaping environmental consciousness. 'You can't learn about the environment in a classroom,' he said. 'What we try to do through our community is give young people — even kids as young as six — the opportunity to physically clean beaches and rivers. Only then do they understand how serious the problem really is. ' Over 800 clean-up drives later, his initiative has removed over 8 million kilograms of waste and engaged 4.5 lakh citizens. Kalambe emphasised relatability and creativity on social media as essential tools in motivating youth. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 Most Beautiful Female Athletes in the World Click Here Undo 'We try to make beach clean-ups cool, something young people can relate to. A single social media post once brought in 6,000 volunteers.' For Shevgaonkar, personal climate anxiety led to innovation. Her journey began with a self-imposed challenge to reduce her carbon footprint by 10%, leading to the creation of Cool The Globe, a mobile app that tracks carbon savings from everyday actions like public transport use or waste segregation. 'People often ask: what can one individual do?' she said. 'When one lakh users from 150 countries came together, we saved over 7 million kilos of carbon emissions. That's the power of collective action.' The app features a live global meter and has sparked a worldwide movement, with sustainability ambassadors in over 25 countries. She credited social media for helping create belief among ordinary people that their actions matter. 'If we all do our part, miracles can happen,' Shevgaonkar said. The panel highlighted how India's new wave of eco-champions is turning anxiety into action
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025: IFFCO MD Dr Udai Shanker Awasthi calls for sustainable agriculture and youth action
At the TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 held on Monday, Dr Udai Shanker Awasthi, Managing Director of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), emphasised the urgent need for sustainable agriculture and environmental responsibility. Speaking during his keynote address, Dr Awasthi urged India's youth and eco-entrepreneurs to lead the way in developing solutions that balance growth with environmental protection. 'The whole idea of saving the planet began when we realised that our own development was creating problems,' Dr Awasthi said. He noted that while development is necessary, it also increases the use of energy and natural resources, which causes damage to the environment. Dr Awasthi stressed that the time has come to correct this imbalance. He said that sustainable agriculture is one of the most pressing challenges for every country, including those in the Middle East, which are now also looking at eco-friendly farming methods. 'We don't need to change everything overnight. But we do need to move in the right direction. And things are slowly changing,' he said. He pointed to carbon dioxide emissions and methane from traditional chemical fertilisers, such as urea, as major contributors to environmental harm. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo He highlighted the need to switch to alternatives like nano fertilisers, which have a smaller ecological impact. Calling eco-entrepreneurs 'much needed,' Dr Awasthi said, 'The patents and innovations by eco-preneurs must be protected. Their products and the money invested in them must not go to waste.' He also shared ideas for young entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas, encouraging them to focus on long-term, sustainable development solutions. 'Profit and planet can and must co-exist': Prasad Sanyal The event opened with an address by Prasad Sanyal, Business Head of The Times of India (digital), who welcomed attendees and set the tone for the evening. He said the Ecopreneur Honours recognises those who are working quietly yet effectively in the field of sustainability. 'In today's noisy world, there are still places where people work with intent, sustainability,' Sanyal said. He pointed out that sustainability is no longer a side concern and that 'the new India is looking for meaning.' Sanyal added that the awards aim to honour individuals and organisations that have helped shape policy, promoted green growth, and taken real action against the climate crisis. 'Profit and planet can and must co-exist,' he said. He ended his speech by reminding everyone of the urgency of climate change. 'Climate crisis is today's lived reality,' Sanyal said, adding that in this context, 'recognition matters.' The TOI Ecopreneur Honours celebrates sustainability champions across India — from individuals to corporates — who are building a greener future.
