ITC WOW honors the winners of the Recycling Championship.

ITC WOW Honors Recycling Championship Winners in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Reinforcing its commitment to environmental management and resource conservation through waste management and recycling practices, ITC Limited today hosted the award ceremony of the Welbeing Out of Waste (WOW) Inter-School Recycling Championship at Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium in Hyderabad. The event recognized the exceptional cooperation of students and schools in advancing the Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat through efficient waste management during the championship.

Dr. T. K. Sridevi, IAS, Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Government of Telangana, was the chief guest for the award ceremony. Honorary guests included Mr. E.V. Narasimha Reddy, IAS, Commissioner and Director of School Education, Government of Telangana, and Mr. Rajesh Ponnuru, Divisional Chief Executive of ITC Limited – Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division. Distinguished guests presented awards and medals to the deserving students and schools.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Rajesh Ponnuru congratulated the winners of the ITC WOW Inter-School Recycling Championship and thanked all participants for their contribution to the Swachh Bharat initiative. He emphasized that Swachh Bharat is not just about maintaining cleanliness at an individual level but also about ensuring a clean and healthy environment in public spaces. "It is heartening to see the future generation actively participating in waste management and recycling," he said.

The main program of ITC WOW, the Inter-School Recycling Championship (ISRC), is designed to promote the segregation of waste at the source and foster responsible waste management habits among future citizens. Conducted across major cities in South India, this initiative encourages students and schools to participate actively in waste management, thereby nurturing a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

The 2024-25 edition of the championship saw a remarkable response, with over 100,000 students participating and collectively contributing around 933 metric tons of dry waste for recycling. A total of 2,482 schools from across South India participated, with 931,000 students raising awareness about waste segregation. The event brought together government and private schools from various boards, including ICSE, CBSE, and SSC, fostering a culture of environmental protection among youth change-makers.

The award ceremony saw nearly 1,800 participants, with students showcasing their enthusiasm and creativity through cultural performances. A cleanliness pledge led by the chief guest was a highlight of the event, reaffirming the commitment to cleanliness and environmental responsibility among all attendees.

In addition to recognizing the winners, the event also served as a platform to encourage ongoing collaboration in environmental sustainability programs. It helped strengthen the cooperation between the community, schools, and government in promoting responsible waste management and the message of a clean and healthy India.

ITC’s WOW program is a collaborative model with multiple stakeholders, transforming surrounding areas into cleaner and healthier environments. Since its inception in 2007, ITC WOW has grown into one of India’s largest awareness programs for solid waste management. The initiative actively promotes waste segregation at its source, enhances resource recovery, and supports sustainable livelihoods for waste management workers. To date, ITC WOW has engaged 6.9 million households and 6.7 million students across six states, collected over 17,844 tons of waste, and recycled 65,000 metric tons of dry recyclable waste annually.

In Telangana alone, the program has reached over 1.7 million households across 1,013 wards, expanding its impact on responsible waste management. The initiative underscores ITC’s commitment to promoting sustainable practices and instilling a sense of environmental responsibility in future generations, aligning with the broader goal of advancing the circular economy. As a global environmental leader, ITC has been recognized as the world’s only company to maintain a positive record in solid waste recycling for 17 consecutive years and became a plastic-neutral company starting from FY2022. By adopting circular practices and reducing its environmental footprint, ITC aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable/bio-degradable by 2028.

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