JSW, through its continued commitment to sustainability, once again took centre stage at the 12th edition of the JSW-The Times of India Earth Care Awards, held at the Tata Theatre, NCPA, on 16 April 2025. The awards, instituted to recognise and honour environmental excellence across the subcontinent, celebrated changemakers whose efforts are shaping a sustainable future for India and beyond.

Over the past 11 years, the Earth Care Awards - a joint initiative by JSW and The Times of India - have honoured 87 individuals and organisations across industries, NGOs, and grassroots movements. The initiative has grown into one of India’s most respected platforms celebrating climate-positive actions.

Mrs. Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of the JSW Foundation, reflected on the growing momentum of the awards and their wider impact. Recalling the words of renowned primatologist Jane Goodall during a visit last year, she said, “Ms Goodall said, ‘Hope has never been more important.’ And today, I am filled with hope. This year alone, we received over 1,500 entries and directly reached out to 200 colleges and 20,000 students through our workshops - a substantial number, especially for a country with the world’s largest youth population.”

JSW’s emphasis on youth engagement and climate awareness was further underscored with the introduction of the Young Climate Champions Programme. The programme aims to nurture young environmentalists into future leaders, and this year’s winners included Akil Prasath of RV Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, for Biodiversity Conservation. His initiative to replace non-native invasive species in Tamil Nadu with native flora improved local biodiversity and livelihoods. Thotchanso Zingyo of TISS, Mumbai, also won in the same category, while Rohan Kumar of IIT-Bombay was recognised for his wastewater treatment innovation under the Water Conservation category.

Sneha Shahi, a PhD student at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru, was recognised for her doctoral work on the co-evolution of rivers and societies, and her work to increase action and awareness on SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation).

In total, nearly 200 climate-focused workshops were held across 15 states, involving 20,000 students directly and reaching over two lakh peers indirectly. Workshops were hosted at prestigious institutions like the IITs, TISS, Jamia Millia Islamia, St. Stephen’s College, TERI, NID Ahmedabad, ICFAI, and Christ University.

Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO (Publishing) of The Times Group, spoke about the interconnectedness of small acts and global impact, likening it to the journey of a tagged Olive Ridley turtle ‘03233’ that swam 3,500 km from Odisha to Maharashtra. “Her journey is a metaphor that even the smallest step matters,” he said. “How we build, consume, discard, and protect all have a profound impact on the earth. When I see the energy of the youth in this hall, I am convinced that the earth is in a safe place.”

Corporate giant ITC Ltd was honoured with the Green Business Titan award for its environment-friendly initiatives that have supported the livelihoods of lakhs of people.

Other winners included Recykal and Econovus Packaging in the Emerging Business in Climate Action category; Entrepreneurs Associates, Global Growth Foundation of India (GGFI), and BAIF Development Research Foundation in Community Led Climate Action; and Natasha Zarine of Eco Sattva for Women Leaders in Climate Action. Indore Municipal Corporation and Help-O, an entry from Sri Lanka, were recognised for Urban Centered Climate Action.

The jury for this year’s awards was chaired by Dr R. A. Mashelkar, former Director General of CSIR, and included Dr Arunabha Ghosh (Council on Energy, Environment & Water), Rajat Gupta (McKinsey & Company), Shloka Nath (India Climate Collaborative), and Priya Shah (Theia Ventures).

With each passing year, the JSW-The Times of India Earth Care Awards continue to inspire and energise a new generation of climate warriors - showing that business, youth, and environmental stewardship can come together to build a better, more resilient future.