Ashwin Malwade
Social Entrepreneur
Mumbai couple Nupur Agarwal and Ashwin Malwade are founders of Greenmyna, an eco-conscious wedding planning service. Formerly a marketing professional and a Merchant Navy officer, Nupur and Ashwin respectively, met while volunteering at the Versova beach clean-up. While planning their own eco-friendly wedding, the duo came up with the idea to help other couples plan their big day with a sustainable approach.
The duo believes in striving for sustainability and not perfection. Instead of blaming others for lack of responsibility towards Mother Earth, Nupur and Ashwin believe in trying to make a difference themselves. Together, they are working towards helping couples celebrate their big day while being thoughtful about the environment.
Dr Priyansh Shah
Doctor
Priyansh Shah, the man behind World Youth Heart Federation. The World Youth Heart Federation (WYHF), an International Non-Profit Organisation representing the youth around the world, provides a dynamic platform to individuals below the age of 35 years to work towards improving the cardiovascular health of the society and fostering inter-sectoral collaboration among the youth.
This federation works to create awareness about Cardiovascular health and lifestyle modification and catalyse work towards cardiovascular health education, entrepreneurship, advocacy, research and technology. WYHF - India believes that spreading awareness about how lifestyle can affect cardiovascular health in the long run and ways to modify it can make it accessible to all.
Dr Shailesh Nayak
Direstor National Institute of Advance Sciences
Having served as the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, Shailesh Nayak is a distinguished scientist in the Ministry of Earth Affairs. In his outstanding career, he has been leading young minds on the science of climate change, weather, marine science and technology.
This extraordinary man, an alumni of M.S University, has been honoured with Doctorate of Science for his conceptualization and development of marine GIS. Dr. Nayak is recognised for setting up the Tsunami Warning System for the Indian Ocean and several other satellite-based products and services including sea state for coastal zone management.
Nupur Agrawal
Social Entrepreneur
Mumbai couple Nupur Agarwal and Ashwin Malwade are founders of Greenmyna, an eco-conscious wedding planning service. Formerly a marketing professional and a Merchant Navy officer, Nupur and Ashwin respectively, met while volunteering at the Versova beach clean-up. While planning their own eco-friendly wedding, the duo came up with the idea to help other couples plan their big day with a sustainable approach.
The duo believes in striving for sustainability and not perfection. Instead of blaming others for lack of responsibility towards Mother Earth, Nupur and Ashwin believe in trying to make a difference themselves. Together, they are working towards helping couples celebrate their big day while being thoughtful about the environment.
Prof Alaka Sharma
CEO and Professor
Alaka Sharma, the CEO of Akshar foundation, a school that changed the way we see education in the world. The Akshar School, a private school located in Assam, India, is known for revolutionizing the Indian education system and helping students from low-income families to receive a quality education in exchange for plastic waste as tuition fees. Tuition for the school is equivalent to 25 pieces of plastic waste collected from a student’s community.
Through this innovative idea, the school then recycles the collected waste into new items, like eco-bricks, at its recycling center. Akshar Foundation, also aims to open up 100 schools similar to the Akshar School. Given that attendance at the Akshar School has risen by 500%, they plan to follow the same model for new schools.
Rakesh Khatri
Bird Conservator
With a record of building over 1.25 lakh nests for birds all over India, Environmentalist Rakesh Khatri, hailing from the Land of Taj brought three generations together by saving the unsaved fauna. A photographer, documentary filmmaker who gave up his job to concentrate his effors for his winged friends. Having his name embedded in the Limca book of Records, he has also laid the roots of Eco Root Foundation. Rakesh Khatri believes it to be a blessing to give a home to the millennial chirpings. He has successfully conducted more than 1500 workshops teaching young minds on building efficient nests with basic commodities.
Vimalendu Jha
Environmentalist
A leading Environmentalist of India, Vimlendu Jha founded Swechha in 2000 and since then, turned it into a leading voice against environmental issues in India, specifically water and air pollution. He has international experience that spans over two decades in association with the likes of UN Environment, UNDP, Civicus World Assembly, The British Council, State Department of the USA, IGES Japan, GIZ (Germany), and also several Heads of State.
He was titled one of the ‘Top 25 Youth Leaders of India’ by India Today & Outlook in 2004. He was profiled for the same by the International Youth Foundation through the ‘Our Time is Now’ publication. Vimlendu was also selected as one of the ‘6 Worldwide Change Makers’ by CNN International to be part of the Be the Change programme.