· Winners of Interschool Recycling Championship 2025-26 were felicitated by ITC WOW
· Shri Karee Gowda, IAS, CEO, BSWML graces the occasion as Chief Guest
Reaffirming its long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, resource conservation, and inclusive sustainability, ITC Limited organised the Samaagam – the ITC WOW Green Awards Event today at the B R Ambedkar Auditorium, Bengaluru. The ceremony recognised and celebrated outstanding contributions of key stakeholders across the waste management value chain- Students, Educational Institutions, Dry Waste Collectors, Resident Welfare Authorities (RWAs) and Corporates – for advancing the ‘Clean India Mission’, through effective waste segregation, recycling, and responsible waste management practices.
The award ceremony is a key milestone under ITC’s flagship Wellbeing Out of Waste (ITC WOW) solid waste management initiative, which focuses on driving behavioural change at scale by promoting source segregation, strengthening recycling ecosystems, and fostering community participation in sustainable waste management. The awards acknowledge individuals and institutions that have demonstrated leadership and commitment in translating awareness into measurable environmental impact.
The ceremony was graced by senior government and institutional leaders, including Shri Karee Gowda, IAS, CEO, BSWML as the Chief Guest, along with Guests of Honour Shri Shaik Tajuddin, Deputy Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Karnataka; Shri Atheeq Anwar, Chief Administrative Officer, DPS Bangalore, Mysore and School of India; and Shri S N Umakanth, DGM, PSPD, ITC Ltd.
Mr. Rajesh Ponnuru, Divisional Chief Executive, Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division, ITC Ltd. said, “ITC believes that community-led responsible waste management is a critical enabler of a sustainable and circular economy. Through its large-scale WOW - Wellbeing Out of Waste initiative, ITC has been working consistently to drive behavioural change, enable multi-stakeholder collaborations, strengthen recycling value chains, generate livelihood opportunities for waste collectors and create meaningful environmental and social impact. I extend my heartfelt compliments to the winners of the ITC WOW Green Awards in Bengaluru. The encouraging contribution of students, waste handlers and corporates towards the vision of a clean and green environment is indeed commendable. It is particularly heartening to see that our future generation is actively coming forward to manage and recycle waste and create widespread awareness on the subject.”
The Interschool Recycling Championship (ISRC), ITC WOW’s flagship engagement programme, continues to be a powerful platform for instilling the values of responsible waste management among future citizens. Implemented across major cities in southern India, the programme actively encourages students and educational institutions to participate in waste segregation and recycling initiatives, thereby nurturing a culture of environmental responsibility and sustainability from an early age.
The 2025–26 edition of the championship witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 1 lakh students actively participating and collectively contributing approximately 1000 metric tons of dry waste for recycling. The championship saw participation from 585 schools across Bengaluru, Mysuru City, Tumkur and Malur, while nearly 4 lakh students were engaged through awareness and outreach activities on waste segregation and responsible disposal practices. The programme brought together government and private schools across boards including ICSE, CBSE and SSC, reflecting its inclusive reach and grassroots impact.
ITC’s Wellbeing Out of Waste (ITC WOW) programme is a pioneering, collaborative model that has been transforming neighbourhoods into clean and healthy environments since its inception in 2007. One of India’s notable programmes on solid waste management, ITC WOW actively promotes source segregation, maximises resource recovery, and supports sustainable livelihoods for waste handlers, while building awareness across urban and semi-urban communities.
Modelled as a community-led initiative, ITC WOW has engaged 74 lakh households and 77 lakh students across six states till date benefitting over 17,900 waste collectors and ragpickers through livelihood support and formalisation. The programme has helped recovered 65,000 metric tons of dry recyclable waste annually, strengthening circular economy outcomes.
In Bengaluru, ITC WOW has covered over 21 lakh households across 175 wards, making the city one of the most impactful centres for the programme in southern India and significantly strengthening responsible waste management and community-led sustainability practices.
The initiative aligns closely with ITC’s Sustainability 2.0 agenda and its broader commitment to advancing a circular economy. As a global sustainability leader, ITC has achieved the distinction of being solid waste recycling positive for 18 consecutive years and has been plastic neutral since FY2022. Adopting a circular approach and continuously reducing its environmental footprint, ITC aims to ensure that 100 percent of its packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable/bio-degradable by 2028.
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