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India Today
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- India Today
World Environment Day 2025: A global call to protect our planet
World Environment Day, celebrated every year on June 5, is the United Nations' principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment. Since its inception in 1973, the day has grown into a global platform, with participation from over 150 year, a different country hosts the event and a unique theme is chosen to highlight a pressing environmental concern. From combating plastic pollution to promoting biodiversity, these themes help raise awareness and mobilise change at both grassroots and global the years, World Environment Day has spurred major policy changes and community-led initiatives. From bans on single-use plastics to large-scale reforestation projects, it has served as a catalyst for environmental reforms. Educational institutions use the day to instill eco-conscious values in students, while businesses are encouraged to adopt greener practices and reduce their carbon footprint. As climate challenges become more urgent, the role of individuals has never been more critical. Simple steps like conserving water, minimising waste, embracing sustainable travel, and supporting eco-friendly brands can make a significant difference. World Environment Day reminds us that protecting the Earth is not just the responsibility of governments and organisations, it is a shared duty, and every action, no matter how small, contributes to a healthier planet for future generations."On this World Environment Day, as we rally to end plastic pollution, it's our young changemakers across India who hold the power to inspire real change. Through local actions—whether it's reducing plastic use, educating communities, or innovating sustainable alternatives—they're not just creating awareness but also leading the movement. At 1M1B, we believe these efforts deserve a global stage. That's why initiatives like the Changemakers World Cup serve as a launchpad, offering selected changemakers from across the country a chance to present their impact at the 1M1B Activate Impact Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York . Small steps taken in villages, towns, and cities today can echo globally tomorrow." Manav Subodh, Founder and Chief Mentor, 1M1B (One Million for One Billion)- UN accredited youth focused Rajasthan, the Forest Department—alongside JICA, BCG, and the Department of IT—is developing India's first Forest Data Exchange to drive rapid, data-informed interventions against forest degradation. Scaling such innovations across the country can unlock transparent, inclusive conservation and accelerate sustainable impact nationwide.' Sushma Vasudevan, Managing Director and Partner at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG)The planet is facing multiple environmental crises, climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, pollution, and unsustainable consumption. World Environment Day serves as a crucial reminder that collective and individual actions both matter. Whether it's planting trees, reducing plastic usage, switching to renewable energy, or simply educating others, every effort this World Environment Day, we reaffirm our commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive future, driving change across India through our global vision of 'Progress for Humanity.' The choices we make today will shape a better, healthier environment for generations to come.' Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head - Corporate Affairs, Corporate Communication & Social, Hyundai Motor India Limited'It isn't just about hitting sustainability targets—it's about building a circular economy that delivers measurable impact while opening up entirely new revenue streams for businesses across the value chain.' Ishita Bansal, Co-Founder and COO at Plannex RecyclingadvertisementGovernments, corporations, schools, NGOs, and citizens come together to organise tree plantation drives, clean-up campaigns, awareness workshops, and eco-friendly challenges. Social media campaigns amplify the message, urging people to rethink their relationship with nature."Office buildings, often seen as static backdrops to productivity, are in fact powerful levers for climate action. From how they are constructed to how they are operated, everything can be reimagined, through passive design, low-carbon materials, energy modelling, and adaptive reuse. This World Environment Day, the focus must move beyond green certifications and towards regenerative design that enables workplaces to give back more than they take." Sandhya Hegde, Head of Operations - Sustainable Solutions, Space recovered waste is transformed into high-quality raw materials, reused in packaging, and repurposed for various applications. Therefore, the solution lies in circularity: designing for recyclability, building recycling infrastructure, and promoting responsible consumption to reduce environmental impact.' Jeevaraj Gopal Pillai, Director - Sustainability, President - Flexible Packaging and New Product Development, UFlex LimitedThis annual observance is more than just a date on the calendar, it's a growing movement that reflects a global commitment to building a sustainable future. On this day, let's pledge to make choices that heal the Earth, not harm it. After all, there is no Plan B, because there is no Planet Watch
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
News from the world of education: April 23, 2025
EduVelocity Global Debate League 2025 EduVelocity Global Counsels, in collaboration with the Indian Schools Debating Society, launched the EduVelocity Global Debate League 2025. Eligibility: Class 9 to 12 students Deadline: May 1 Details at Changemakers World Cup One Million for One Billion (1M1B) has launched the Changemakers World Cup to identify and spotlight 50 of India's most impactful changemakers. What it entails: Young Changemakers Track – for those under 18 years Professionals Track – for those 18 and above. Deadline: May 31 For themes and other details, visit Summer School 2025 The British Council has launched Summer School 2025. Eligibility: Students from 6 to 17 years of ag Where: Across British Council centres in India Details at Admissions and scholarships IIM Bangalore has opened applications to its Bachelor of Business Administration in Digital Business and Entrepreneurship BBA (DBE) programme. Eligibility: A minimum of 60 % marks or equivalent CGPA in recognised board exams for general category and NC-OBC and EWS category candidates; 55% marks or equivalent CGPA for SC, ST and PwD (>= 40% disability) candidates; currently open to Indian nationals only. IIMB DBE Entrance Test scores required. Details at IIT Guwahati launched its four-year Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and Engineering. Eligibility: Pass in class 12 or equivalent in 2024 or 2025, with a minimum of 75% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Biology; Qualified in IISER Aptitude Test 2025 Deadline: May 25 Details at The University of Sheffield, the U.K., invites applications for its Speech and Natural Language Processing course starting this September. Eligibility: Minimum of 60% from a recognised university in a relevant subject with relevant modules. Degrees in the following subject areas are accepted: Computer Science, Computing, Maths, and any Engineering subject. IELTS 6.5 (with 6 in each component) or university equivalent. Scholarship: 75 International Postgraduate Taught Merit Scholarships for the 2025 entry, each worth £10,000 towards the original tuition fee for a postgraduate taught programme starting this September 2025. The scholarships are available to all new international students. Deadline: May 12 Details at The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, invites applications for its MSc Sustainable Engineering: Renewable Energy Systems and the Environment course starting this September. Eligibility: First-class or second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in Architecture, Engineering or related subject. Entry may be possible with other qualifications provided there is evidence of relevant experience and of the capacity for PG study. IELTS requirement is 6.5 (no individual element below 5.5) Details at University of Southampton Delhi has opened admissions for its Delhi campus for the August 2025 intake. Courses: UG programmes, including BSc (Hons) in Accounting and Finance, Business Management, Computer Science, and Economics, and PG offerings in MSc Finance and MSc International Management. Deadline: April 28 Details at IIIT-Delhi, in collaboration with industry partners, has launched the24-week Intelligent Product Development - Certificate Programme. Eligibility: Final-year engineering and diploma students, and recent graduates Deadline: April 28 For details on fees, scholarships, and more, visit Events Medicaps University has transitioned from traditional teaching methodologies to an Outcome-Based Education (OBE) system. This OBE framework will equip students with essential skills such as problem-solving, practical expertise, teamwork, and more. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), in association with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, launched the SIAM-KVS Road Safety Online Education Programme. Dignitaries included Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, and Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon'ble Union Minister of Education, among others. Shoolini University's Centre of Excellence in Energy Science and Technology has developed a thermoelectric cooling system for photovoltaic modules. It addresses the issue of solar panel overheating, enhancing power generation and extending panel lifespan. It was led by researchers Rahul Chandel and Shyam Singh Chandel. MIT World Peace University has done two projects related to sustainable energy research: a process for generating green hydrogen directly from sugarcane juice and a batch reactor system for biodiesel production using agro-waste-based heterogeneous catalysts. They were spearheaded by Prof. Niraj Topare, Santosh Patil, and Bharat Kale, researchers. Kavin Khanna, a 17-year-old, Dubai-based student from Jumeirah College, has partnered with KCS Foundation India to launch the Skill Leap Project. It is a digital literacy initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide and foster digital empowerment by setting up advanced computer labs and delivering a future-ready curriculum. It has empowered over 2,700 underprivileged students in rural Bihar. To fight sextortion, cyberbullying, identity theft and online harassment, WHT NOW has launched its National Youth Ambassador Programme, set to begin this May, in collaboration with Indian universities and colleges. It aims to train over 5,000 students by the end of the year to serve as digital first responders on campus. IIT Roorkee's Department of Water Resources Development and Management celebrated its 70th anniversary with two events: Research Scholars Day 2025 and a two-day workshop on Fundamentals of CFD Modelling for Water Systems using FLOW-3D. Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science hosted the Navayantra Research Expo 2025. It featured over 100 displays across 11 research centres and multiple disciplines. P.P. Mathur, Former Vice Chancellor of KIIT University and Birla Global University was the chief guest. Smiling Tree partnered with Hindu College, University of Delhi, for the Sarvodaya Yuva Sansad, where students, educators, and policy experts, held dialogues on youth empowerment, governance, and sustainability. The School of Computer Science at UPES inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, aimed at advancing interdisciplinary research, education, and innovation in AI and Machine Learning. Shailesh Kumar, Chief Data Scientist, Centre of Excellence in AI/ML, Reliance Jio, was the chief guest. GITAM (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, inaugurated its Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence and the R and D Centre by Sirena Technologies. Savyasachi K. Srinivas, Vice President of Engineering at Collins Aerospace, was the chief guest. Noida International University hosted the Educators Meet and Felicitation Ceremony, to honour educators from the Dadri region for their teaching practices. Vinod Agarwal, Director of Shaifali Group, was the chief guest. IIM Kozhikode welcomed the sixth batch of its one-year full-time Post Graduate Programme in Business Leadership. VIBGYOR Group of Schools launched its International Sports and Performing Arts Camp and collaborated with international cricketers including Jesse Ryder and Mathew Sinclair from New Zealand. This collaboration aims to enhance student learning and coaching methods by embedding global expertise into daily school life. Scaler appointed Martin Reindl as Head of Enterprise. He will also lead the organisation's Innovation Lab, which is set to launch three programmes: a corporate projects initiative, a student startup incubator, and an internal development track. IIM Lucknow appointed Prof. Manmohan Prasad Gupta as Director. He is currently serving as Professor at IIT Delhi. IIT Guwahati, in collaboration with HDFC Parivartan, has implemented three technology-driven interventions aimed at enhancing food and energy security, farmer's income, and capacity building of thousands of farmers in Assam and Meghalaya. Under this Focused Development Programme: Enhancing Agriculture and Residue-Based Enterprises via Community Organisations, the institute will deploy three need-based technologies to empower farmers and women for running such enterprises. Anant National University unveiled the findings of its research on the impact of the Digital India initiative on Gujarat's urban and rural youth. It was led by Subhalaxmi Mohapatra and Diti Pundrik Vyas, Associate Professors, Anant National University, and Subhadip Roy, Professor, IIM Ahmedabad. It examined the differences in digital usage patterns across urban and rural populations and proposed strategies and policy changes for bridging the digital divide. Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, hosted its official Studomatrix orientation, a movement of youth leadership, collaboration, and changemaking. It aimed at familiarising students with what it was, how it functioned, and how they could actively become part of it. It featured keynote speakers Triveni Dutta, Convener of StudoMeerut, and Gauri Mehta, a public service professional, who briefed the students about Studomatrix's functioning. Technip Energies announced the awardees of the third edition of its India Scholarship Programme as part of its Enabling 'TEM Learning for Girls initiative. Hundred students received a scholarship grant of Rs. 30,000 to continue their academic journey. Acharya Bangalore B-School launched SummitSphere: The Founders Series, designed to bring the startup world closer to students. The inaugural edition featured Dyumna Madan, the 19-year-old founder of Project Clay and an entrepreneur from Shark Tank India. As part of its Pustak Sanch Watap Yojana, the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute will distribute JEE/NEET and MHT-CET books to over 7,000 students from Other Backward Classes this year. According to the latest annual survey of global prospective students to business school released today by the Graduate Management Admission Council, individuals looking to enter B-schools want to learn how to think strategically and problem solve. Key findings include — more people prefer either part-or-full-time in-person business education programmes; cost remains a top barrier for candidates to get graduate business degrees, no matter where they are located or how advanced they are in their career; the U.S., and Western Europe continue to remain the top study destination preferences of global candidates, to name a few. Convocations IIM Amritsar held its ninth convocation where over 380 students received their degrees. Ranjit Rath, Chairman and MD, Oil India Limited, was the chief guest. IIM Sambalpur held its ninth convocation where 370 students received their degrees. Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister was the chief guest. NMIMS Pravin Dalal School held the convocation for students of MBA (Entrepreneurship and Family Business), MBA (Entrepreneurship), BBA (Entrepreneurship and Family Business) and BBA (Management and Marketing) programmes. Nitin Gupta, Founder and CEO of Uni, was the chief guest. Earth Day Panasonic Life Solutions India hosted an initiative as part of Panasonic Harit Umang (Joy of Green) programme, at Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi. The event, themed Celebrating the Longest Chain of Sustainability for Plastic Circularity, engaged young Green Ambassadors in promoting responsible behaviour towards a sustainable future and building a zero-plastic ecosystem. The Cambridge Schools in Delhi- NCR observed Earth Day. Students went on a nature walk around the school, engaged in a hands-on craft activity using recycled materials, to understand how recycling and reusing help the planet, and more. Smiling Tree organised a plantation drive at Modern School, Barakhamba Road. Several saplings were planted within the school premises. Blooming Yards and Lions Public School collaborated to organise Dhara Mahotsav 2025, a plantation campaign. Students, teachers, parents, and community members planted a variety of fruit-bearing and native plants including mango, orange, jamun, pear, guava, among others. Awards and laurels NIT Rourkela is the only NIT across the country to have been selected as one of the Hub Institutions under the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research Programme, launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. Venkateshwar International School has launched Collaborative Activities for Socio-Emotional Learning (CASEL), a socio-emotional learning programme for class 6 to 12 students. It will support adolescents in managing emotions, making responsible decisions, and flourishing in social and academic settings. Eshan Kaushik, a student of Game Art and Design at the JS Institute of Design, won third place in an international game development challenge, themed Play to Make a Better World, hosted by Electronic Arts. Noida International University was conferred an award by S.K. Sachdeva, Chairman and Editor of Competition Success Review (CSR) for its contribution to higher education and its consistent ranking among India's top universities by CSR. MoUs and partnerships JLL India partnered with the Indian School of Hospitality to introduce a one-year Postgraduate Programme (PGP) in Hospitality Management, to develop the next generation of talent in real estate operations and HR. BITS Pilani signed an MoU with Ecole CentraleSuperlac, Paris, to offer a Two-Plus-Two (2+2) undergraduate Shared Degree Programme B.E. Mathematics and Computing. On course completion, students will receive a BITS and Ecole CentraleSuperlac degree. Parul University signed an MoU with Springer Nature for international academic collaboration and to amplify research visibility globally. Under this partnership, both parties will create a platform for knowledge sharing, research dissemination, and academic publishing. AICTE signed an MoA with IG Drones to set up 50 Drone Centres of Excellence across 50 engineering colleges in India. Students will gain industry-relevant skills and certifications in drone operations, manufacturing, and applications. PrepInsta has partnered with over 100 educational institutes across India including SRM University (AP), GITAM University, The NorthCap University, SNS Group of Institutions, and so on, to empower students with training, placement preparation, and exposure to high-demand tech skills. Anurag University partnered with Arizona State University (ASU) through which students can pursue Bachelor's or Master's degrees in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or Management. Students will begin their course at Anurag University International College and transfer to ASU to complete their degrees. Numeros Motors signed an MoU with IIT Bhubaneswar to undertake a two-year research initiative focused on exploring and evaluating various non-magnet or rare earth-free motor topologies. It aims to drive innovation in sustainable and affordable EV components.
Hans India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Hans India
India's top 50 changemakers set to take global stage at United Nations Summit
New Delhi: 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) has launched the Changemakers World Cup (CWC)—a nationwide search to identify 50 of the country's most impactful changemakers who will represent India at the 1M1B Activate Impact Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York this December. The initiative invites participation from students, grassroots leaders, professionals, and educators engaged in community action aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finalists will be selected through two competition tracks—Young Changemakers (under 18) and Professionals (18+), with three impact-driven categories: Act for Change, Speak for Change, and Art for Change. The top 500 will be recognised at a national event in Mumbai, while the top 50 will earn the opportunity to showcase their work on a global stage at the UN. Applications for the Changemakers World Cup are open until May 31, 2025.
