Dr. Ashok Khosla Receives Inaugural Sohrab Pirojsha Godrej Environment Award

2024-11-22 10:30:36 Environment

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Bengaluru, 15th January, 2024: Following the successful launch of the Sohrab Pirojsha Godrej Environment Award, a pioneering initiative in collaboration with Mumbai First, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies proudly announced Dr Ashok Khosla, as the distinguished winner of the inaugural edition. The award ceremony took place today in Mumbai, and celebrated Dr Ashok Khosla's outstanding contributions in the field of environment and sustainability.

Dr Ashok Khosla, a star pioneer environmentalist, has not only significantly impacted India but has also left an indelible mark on the global stage. His extensive career includes serving on the National Security Advisory Board, the National Environment Board, and the Science Advisory Council to the Cabinet in India. Internationally, Khosla has been a trendsetter, playing key roles in the establishment of the first university course on the Environment at Harvard University in 1965, heading the first governmental agency for the Environment in a developing country in 1972, and establishing the first social enterprise for sustainable development in 1983.

Speaking on the occasion, Nadir Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej Industries, expressed his appreciation, saying, "We are thrilled to announce Ashok Khosla as the recipient of the inaugural Sohrab Pirojsha Godrej Environment Award. His remarkable achievements and dedication to environmental causes have made a lasting impact, and he truly embodies the spirit of this Award. As we celebrate his accomplishments, we are inspired to continue our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability."

The Keynote speaker of the Award, Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, FRS, Former Chairman of National Innovation Foundation & Former Director General of CSIR applauded this initiative, saying, "Fortunate to witness a unique event, when the inaugural award given in the name of a legendary pioneer in the field of environment, S.P. Godrej, is won by a living legend in the field of environment, Dr. Ashok Khosla."

The recipient of the inaugural S. P. Godrej Environment Award, Dr Ashok Khosla expressed his delight, stating, "I am honoured to receive the S. P Godrej Award for Environment this year. My organisation, Development Alternatives has worked with Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies on many environmental and livelihood issues. As a scientist I think innovation is crucial to achieve our collective vision of the planet and people prospering in a symbiotic manner. Over the years my team at DA and I have tried to achieve this synergy. My contribution is miniscule, but I hope this award will inspire young minds to come forward as a movement to create a tangible shift towards protecting Mother Earth and its Species including us Humans."

"Mr. S. P. Godrej, himself, a giant of a human being, was a man born much before his time! He devoted his entire life, giving of his Time & Talents, unstintingly to the cause of the Environment, literally 24x7. Our jury couldn't have made a better choice in Awarding the Trophy in its Inaugural year, to Dr Ashok Khosla, an Environmental Crusader, like Sohrabji, and since 1965 ... not just in India, but globally", stated Mr. Roger C. B. Pereira, Vice Chairman, Mumbai First.

The award received a great response in its inaugural year itself. The evaluation criteria for the award included factors such as impact, leadership, commitment to environmental causes, community engagement, innovative approaches, advocacy efforts, scalability of initiatives, educational outreach, and a science-based approach.

Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies extends heartiest congratulations to Ashok Khosla and expresses gratitude to all individuals and organizations that participated in the event. The Sohrab Pirojsha Godrej Environment Award is a testament to Godrej's unwavering commitment to creating a sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

About Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies (GILAC)

Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies (GILAC), is seen as a vibrant and young brand with trust & quality placed at the heart of the brand's promise. Valued at $5 billion, the 125 year young GILAC has a clear focus on Chemicals, FMCG, Real Estate, Agriculture and Financial Services, a set of diverse industries, most of which are defining new India's growth story. GILAC seeks to achieve this growth through fostering an inspiring place to work, while inculcating shared value through its philosophy of 'Good & Green'.

Godrej Industries Ltd, the holding company of GILAC, is in the business of oleo-chemicals, surfactants, finance & investments and estate management. In the past few years the group has also focused on increasing its global footprint in developing economies like Latin America, Indonesia and Africa through its FMCG arm - Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL). GCPL is a leader among the Indian-born FMCG companies with leading Household and Personal Care Products. The real estate arm, Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) brings the group's philosophy of innovation and excellence to the real estate industry. It aims to deliver superior value to all stakeholders through extraordinary and imaginative spaces created out of deep customer focus and insight. The agri-business arm Godrej Agrovet Ltd (GAVL) of GILAC is dedicated to improving the productivity of Indian farmers by innovating products and services that sustainably increase crop and livestock yields. The company operates in animal feed, oil palm, agri inputs, hybrid seeds, and poultry in which it is a leader.

About Mumbai First

Mumbai First is an initiative of the corporate world. With its unique model of public-private participation, it was set up by India's industry leaders 25 years ago. The Tata's, Mahindra's, Reliance, Godrej, ICICI, Asian Paints, and HDFC are a few of the patrons of this organization which have worked with the Union and State Governments, MCGM, MMRDA, etc. as a nonpartisan body able to engage civil society, professionals, and captains of industry. Mumbai First is to transform the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) into an integrated world-class urban conurbation centred around the city of Mumbai, with a vibrant economy and a globally comparable quality of life for its citizens.