ITC WOW Recognises Students and Schools for Contribution Towards Clean India Mission
- Annual Championship organised by ITC’s flagship solid waste management initiative - Wellbeing Out of Waste (WOW)
- Winners of Interschool Recycling Championship 2024-25 were felicitated by ITC WOW
Reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship and resource conservation through sustainable waste management and recycling practices, ITC Limited hosted the Wellbeing Out of Waste (WOW) Interschool Recycling Championship Awards Presentation Event today at Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium, Hyderabad. The event was held to recognize and celebrate the exceptional contributions made by students and schools in advancing the cause of the Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat, through effective waste management during the Championship.
The award ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Dr T K Sreedevi, IAS, Commissioner & Director, Municipal Administration, Government of Telangana and Guests of Honour EV Narasimha Reddy, IAS, Commissioner and Director, School Education, Government of Telangana and Sri Rajesh Ponnuru, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC Limited - Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division. The dignitaries presented awards and medals to the deserving students and schools.
Speaking at the event, Rajesh Ponnuru, said, “I would like to convey our heartfelt congratulations to the competition winners of the ITC WOW Interschool Recycling Championship and express our gratitude to all participants for their encouraging contribution towards Swachh Bharat. Swachh Bharat is not only about maintaining cleanliness at an individual level but also in public spaces, to create an overall clean and healthy environment. It is heartening to see that our future generation is well aware of this important aspect of our lives and is actively taking the initiative to manage and recycle waste.”
The Interschool Recycling Championship (ISRC), ITC WOW’s flagship programme is designed to instill the habit of source segregation and responsible waste management among future citizens. Implemented across all major cities in southern India, the programme encourages students and schools to actively participate in waste management practices, thereby fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The 2024-25 edition of the Championship witnessed an overwhelming response with over 1 lakh students actively participating and collectively contributing approximately 933 metric tons of dry waste for recycling. The Championship also saw 2482 schools from across southern India take part, involving 9.31 lakh students in raising awareness about waste segregation. The programme brought together government and private schools from various boards, including ICSE, CBSE, and SSC, fostering a culture of sustainability among young changemakers.
The awards event witnessed a good turnout of around 1800 participants and featured cultural performances by students, showcasing their enthusiasm and creativity. A key highlight was the Swachhata Pledge, led by the Chief Guest, where all attendees reaffirmed their commitment to cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
Beyond recognizing the winners, the event also served as a platform to encourage continued participation in environmental sustainability initiatives. It helped strengthen the collaboration among various stakeholders, including the community, schools, and government, in promoting responsible waste management practices and driving the message of a cleaner, healthier India.
ITC’s flagship WOW programme is a collaborative model involving multiple stakeholders that is turning neighbourhoods into clean and healthy environments. Since its inception in 2007, ITC WOW has emerged as one of India’s largest awareness programmes on solid waste management. The initiative actively promotes source segregation, maximizes resource recovery and supports sustainable livelihoods for waste handlers. To date, ITC WOW has:
· Engaged 69 lakh households and 67 lakh students across six states in its mission for responsible waste management.
· Benefitted over 17,844 waste collectors and ragpickers.
· Recovered 65,000 metric tons of dry recyclable waste annually.
In Telangana alone, the programme has covered over 17.12 lakh households across 1,013 wards, amplifying its impact on responsible waste management.
The initiative underscores ITC’s commitment to encouraging sustainable practices and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the environment among the younger generation. It is aligned with the broader goal of advancing a circular economy. As a global sustainability leader, ITC has achieved the distinction of being the only company in the world to be solid waste recycling positive for 17 consecutive years and has been plastic neutral since FY2022. Adopting a circular approach and reducing its environmental footprint, ITC aims for 100 percent of its packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable/bio-degradable by 2028.
