As the patriotic fervour will reverberate across the nation, Sunita Narain who is also the Director General of Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi will speak at the webinar on ‘Gandhi and Cities: Challenges of Affordable and Sustainable Growth’

Recently, Sunita Narain has been appointed as a member of One Health Global Leaders Group on Anti-microbial Resistance which reports to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Further information about the event is available at ‘siddhi.iitm.ac.in.’

The webinar, scheduled for 11 am, 26th January 2021, is open to the public.

Those interested can register using the following link – https://tinyurl.com/siddhi-26jan

Professor Raghunathan Rengaswamy, dean (global engagement) at IIT Madras speaking about the seminar said the Siddhi webinar series hosted by IIT M is proud to feature an eminent speaker like Sunita Narain.

The theme of on which eminent speaker Sunita Narain would speak is sustainable, affordable and inclusive growth of cities.

This is of relevance to all of us, particularly given the massive urbanization that is occurring in India.
‘We hope that the attendees gain an authentic and unique perspective on this topic by participating in this webinar,’ said Professor Raghunathan.

Professor Sudhir Chella Rajan, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Indo-German Centre for Sustainability, IIT Madras, will moderate the webinar.

Students, teachers, Policymakers, Think tanks, government officials, civil society, researchers, the general public, and research groups are expected to benefit from this lecture where Sunita Narain would be speaking.

SIDDHI is a collaborative endeavour with faculty, researchers and students involved in projects sponsored by Government of India under SPARC, VAJRA and socially relevant projects approved by the Government of India such as Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and New India Internship.

SIDDHI is expanded into ‘Self-reliant India: Discussions and Dialogues for Humane Innovations’ and SIDDHI webinar series focuses on themes like socially relevant technologies, technology for self reliance and technology and rural development.

Sunita Narain has been with Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) since 1982.

Sunita Narain is currently the director general of CSE with which she has been associated since 1982.

She is a writer who uses knowledge for change. The year 2005 was a special moment for Sunita Narain as she turned proud recipient of Padma Shri.

The good work done by the CSE director general has won recognition from various sources. Her work in connection with rainwater harvesting won Sunita Narain World Water Prize.

There is more to it than meets the eye as far as Sunita Narain is concerned.

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Sunita Narain also chaired Tiger Task Force at the direction of Prime Minister with an objective of evolving an action plan for conservation in the country after the loss of tigers in Sariska.

Sunita Narain was a member of Prime Minister’s Council for Climate Change as well as National Ganga River Basin Authority.

Sunita Narain was a co-researcher when she began her work in early part of 1980s. She began working the along with Anil Agarwal who was also a noted enviromentalist.

About IIT Madras

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of India as an ‘Institute of National Importance.’

The activities of the Institute in various fields of Science and Technology are carried out in 16 academic departments and several advanced interdisciplinary research academic centres.

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IITM is a residential institute with more than 580 faculty and 9,500 students. Students from 18 countries are enrolled here. IITM fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM Incubation Cell.

This study highlights how entrepreneurs driven by sustainability navigate the complexities of aligning economic objectives with broader societal and environmental goals, even under the pressure to prioritize profit alone, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Values

The research emphasises how sustainability-oriented values in founders drive Sustainable Business Model Innovation (SBMI), say sources from IIM Lucknow.

This ripple effect fosters a larger ecosystem of sustainable businesses, redefining success to include positive contributions to environmental and social well-being alongside profitability.

Research

Prof. Krishna Chandra Balodi, Strategic Management, IIM Lucknow spoke about the research.

Our research illustrates the transformative influence of founders’ sustainability values on business models that address pressing global challenges, said Prof Krishna of IIM Lucknow.

These entrepreneurs redefine success by integrating their principles into their ventures, striking a balance between profit and meaningful environmental and social impact, he said.

Suscom

The research centers on “Suscom,” a startup renowned for its sustainable practices. By delving deeply into Suscom’s operations, the study revealed that the founders’ values permeate every facet of the business—from product innovation to strategic partnerships.

These values are rooted in a blend of influences, such as family upbringing, sustainability-focused education, and early career experiences with non-profits advocating for environmental and social causes, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Attention

The research also brings attention to the unique challenges faced by sustainable startups, such as:

Recruiting employees with a sustainability mindset: Building a workforce aligned with the company’s goals.

Eco-friendly sourcing: Procuring sustainable raw materials.

Green logistics: Finding partners who offer environmentally friendly logistics solutions.

Collaborative partnerships: Working with like-minded stakeholders.

Innovative strategies: Developing creative, low-tech production methods that minimise energy consumption and environmental impact.

Standout findings

One of the standout findings is Suscom’s use of traditional and indigenous techniques to reduce energy consumption.

These methods not only align with global decarbonisation efforts but also present an eco-friendly alternative to high-energy industrial processes, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Significance

As businesses worldwide face mounting pressure to address sustainability and climate change, this research underscores the significance of value-driven leadership, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

It serves as a beacon for entrepreneurs to adopt sustainable practices that not only ensure financial viability but also contribute meaningfully to societal and environmental progress, say sources from IIM Lucknow.

Personal values

By offering valuable insights into how personal values can catalyse sustainable innovation, the study reinforces the need for business leaders to think beyond profits and prioritise long-term, equitable growth.

In 2005, IIM Lucknow expanded its area of influence in the realm of management education by becoming the first IIM to set up a satellite campus exclusively for Executive Education at NOIDA in Delhi NCR region.

IIM Lucknow is accredited by AACSB and AMBA while its EQUIS Accreditation is ongoing. The institute features in the prestigious FT -100 Top Global Business schools for both the 2-year Flagship PGP program and One-year IPMX Program.

It is also consistently ranked amongst top business schools in the NIRF Rankings. IIM Lucknow was the first IIM to start a 2-year full time MBA program in Sustainable Management 10 years back. It also has a long-standing full-time MBA program in Agri Business Management.

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