Recognizing Changemakers, Inspiring Action
The 2nd BSG Awards for Excellence in Sustainability brought over 1,000 guests and BSG members to the Chinmaya Mission Auditorium in New Delhi.
The Chief Guest was Mr. Jalaj Ashwin Dani, Founder of Asiana Fund and Chairman of Addverb Technologies. The Guest of Honour was Mr. Pranshu Singhal, Founder and CEO of Karo Sambhav. The jury members present were Dr. Ruby Makhija (Founder, Why Waste Wednesdays Foundation), Mr. Ripudaman Singh Bevli (Plogman of India, Founder, Litter Free India movement) and Mr. Vikas Verma (Regional Head, North Region, UNDP India).
As is tradition, BSG members lined the path from the entrance to the hall, cheering for every guest as they walked in and giving them a warm welcome.
The ceremony began with a short BSG for SDG film, “Our Year of Action.” It was followed by a lively, colourful performance by the Future Division on the song “Shine On: Towards a Sustainable Future.”
Inaugural Address
BSG Chairperson Mr. Vinay Jain spoke about the possibility of change, and what we can achieve together.
“We can change, and we can all change together.”
He explained that BSG started these awards to celebrate people who are taking sustainability from the “exception to the expectation”.
Voices on Change
Ms. Anika Srivastava, an SDG Ambassador from Miranda House, shared how the SDG Club’s work with BSG, including opportunities like the JSW Young Climate Champion Program, have given the youth the confidence to take action on the SDGs.
Mr. Pranshu Singhal said technology and policy can drive change, but lasting solutions need a shift in our values and behaviour. He asked for impact at the level of whole populations, with clear accountability.
“The time to act is now.”
In his keynote, Mr. Jalaj Dani spoke about the everyday choices behind bigger change:
“No policy, however well-intentioned, can succeed unless we choose to live mindfully… Progress begins when we make conscious choices in our everyday lives.”
The Live Quiz
After the first round, the mood moved from celebration to conversation. Ms. Sapna Kumari and Ms. Simran Malhotra from BSG led a live audience engagement activity. Guests used their phones to share how they could build one sustainable habit over the next 30 days.
Celebrating the Changemakers
Then came the awards: 15 winners and 4 special mentions across 14 categories, each introduced with a short film on their work.
| Category | Winner(s) | Special Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation | The Corbett Foundation
| _ |
| Circular Future Award | OneStepGreener | Tisser Artisan Trust |
| Sustainable Fashion & Craftsmanship Award | Nishit Sangomla | — |
| ESG Leadership Award | Black Box | — |
| Sustainable Technology & Innovation Award | Ampcycle | — |
| Sustainability Excellence Award – Corporate & Institutional | Airveda | __ |
| Collaborative Action for Sustainability Impact | SRIJAN (Self Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action) | — |
| Collaborative Action for Sustainability Impact | Earth Day Network India | — |
| Leadership Towards Fostering Gender Equality | Sarika Wankhade, Sukhaya | Ayushi Sinha, Indraprastha College for Women |
| Sustainability Education & Youth Empowerment Award | School Chameleons | — |
| Grassroots Community Engagement for Sustainability Award | Sarada Valley Development Samithi | Neha Upadhyaya, Vishwadeep Trust |
| Excellence in Healthcare & Well-being |
Dr. Kavita Ashish Satav, MAHAN Trust | — |
| Sustainability Storytellers & Digital Advocates | Epistle Communications | — |
| Sustainability Champion – “Power of One” Award | Anil Kumar Bishnoi | Dr. Nirmala Krishnan, LINK THE DOTS |
| Sustainable Human Behaviour Award |
Dr. Vishal Gandhi, BIORx Venture Advisors Pvt. Ltd. | – |
National Photography Competition
Held in collaboration with Nature:Re on the theme “Roots in Focus: Capture Native Trees and the Biodiversity They Support”. The competition’s winners were Mrigankk Shekhar, for his photograph of a Babul tree in the Bharatpur wetlands, and Odette Katrak, for her photograph of a cherry tree she saved from being cut down twice.
Closing Reflections
Dr. Jaya Rao, Head of External Relations, Media & Sustainability at BSG, closed the evening with a gentle push: don’t leave the inspiration in the hall, take it home.
“The people we honoured tonight began by deciding to do something. Each of us can make that decision too. Tonight we applauded their actions. Tomorrow let’s add our own.”
SOHA Exhibition
When the ceremony ended, the celebration carried on at the Seeds of Hope & Action (SOHA) exhibition, over high tea. Winners were congratulated, conversations ran long, and joy was in the air. It was a happy evening for good work, and for the hard work behind it.
