BENGALURU, February 5, 2026 – ITC Limited today hosted “Samaagam,” the annual ITC WOW Green Awards ceremony, at the B R Ambedkar Auditorium. The event served as a prestigious platform to honor the “Green Champions” of waste management—ranging from students and schools to waste collectors and corporate entities—who have made significant strides in advancing India’s circular economy and the ‘Clean India Mission.’
The ceremony was headlined by Shri Karee Gowda, IAS, CEO of BSWML, who attended as Chief Guest. Joining him were Guests of Honour Shri Shaik Tajuddin (Deputy Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan), Shri Atheeq Anwar (Chief Administrative Officer, DPS and School of India), and Shri S N Umakanth (DGM, PSPD, ITC Ltd).
Empowering the Next Generation
A major highlight of the event was the felicitation of the winners of the Interschool Recycling Championship (ISRC) 2025-26. This flagship engagement program has become a cornerstone for instilling environmental values in young citizens across Southern India.
The 2025-26 edition saw remarkable engagement:
- Participation: Over 1 lakh students from 585 schools across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Tumkur, and Malur.
- Impact: Approximately 1,000 metric tons of dry waste were collected for recycling.
- Reach: Nearly 4 lakh students were reached through awareness campaigns focusing on source segregation and responsible disposal.
Mr. Rajesh Ponnuru, Divisional Chief Executive of ITC’s Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division, emphasized the importance of this grassroots movement. “ITC believes community-led waste management is a critical enabler of a circular economy,” he stated. “It is particularly heartening to see our future generation actively managing waste and creating widespread awareness.”
ITC WOW: A Legacy of Sustainability
The awards are part of ITC’s Wellbeing Out of Waste (ITC WOW) initiative. Launched in 2007, the program focuses on behavioral change, source segregation, and strengthening the recycling value chain.
To date, the national impact of ITC WOW is staggering:
- Engagement: 74 lakh households and 77 lakh students reached across six states.
- Livelihoods: Support and formalization provided to over 17,900 waste collectors.
- Recovery: 65,000 metric tons of dry recyclable waste recovered annually.
In Bengaluru alone, the program has covered 21 lakh households across 175 wards, cementing the city’s status as a leader in community-led sustainability.
Scaling the Circular Economy
The initiative aligns with ITC’s ambitious Sustainability 2.0 agenda. As a global leader in the field, ITC has maintained a “solid waste recycling positive” status for 18 consecutive years and has been plastic neutral since FY2022.
The company is currently working toward a circular packaging goal: ensuring 100% of its packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable/biodegradable by 2028. By integrating social impact with environmental goals, ITC WOW continues to transform urban and semi-urban neighborhoods into cleaner, healthier environments while providing sustainable livelihoods for those at the heart of the waste management ecosystem.
