Guwahati, April 21: A large group of students from high and higher secondary standards from several schools of Kamrup district in Assam shared their thought-provoking research findings about sustainability, biodiversity and waste management in Guwahati during a hybrid congress held on sustainability at Aaranyak headquarter here on Thursday.

The congress aimed at motivating young minds to work for well-being and sustenance of the natural environment in days to come in whatever capacity they can, was organised under the aegis Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), the region's foremost biodiversity conservation organisation, with the support of Wipro Foundation's Wipro earthian initiative and LEA Associates South Asia Pvt Ltd (LASA).

Students from four schools - New Guwahati Adarsha High School, Sonaram Higher Secondary School, Natun Fatasil Town High School, and Rani High School -- attended this hybrid congress physically to present their research findings and shared their experience and achievement before an audience comprising students, researchers, teachers and members of general public.

The Wipro earthian is one of India's largest sustainability education programmes for schools and colleges. This educational initiative on sustainability and waste management has been carried out across India by Wipro Foundation in collaboration with various social organisations and Aaranyak is the partner in Assam.

“It is great to see the Wipro earthian programme has reached such a dimension in schools in Guwahati through Aaranyak. The passion and interest of the teachers and students are truly inspiring and we hope to see the programme reach more and more schools in this region over the years.”, Arathi Hanumanthappa, Programme Manager of Wipro Foundation said.

It is to be mentioned that the New Guwahati Adarsha High School has bagged the prestigious Wipro earthian Award 2022 at the National level for the first time for Assam. This annual award recognises excellence in sustainability education in schools and colleges throughout India by Wipro Foundation.

“Students have benefited greatly from this initiative for their overall education. They have gained a better understanding of the biodiversity around them”, Dr Prarthana Mudoi, a senior teacher from Rani High School, said.

Gargi Pathak, Assistant Teacher from Natun Fatasil Town High School quoted “Educating our students through this Wipro earthian and Aaranyak initiative has broadened their knowledge, which will hopefully motivate them as well as us to work to save the environment and nature."

Other schools Sonaram Higher secondary school, Natun Fatasil Town High school, and Rani High School were awarded in regional level. The award ceremony was held on February 11 in Bangalore and the award was presented by Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro Ltd and Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation. Kamrup's Rani High School was shortlisted among the Top 40. 

“Previously, we thought that the damage we do to nature wouldn't affect us much. The students and I have learned through this programme that the damage caused to the environment affects us and will affect us more in the future if we don’t act on it.”, Binita Barman Dutta, an Assistant teacher of New Guwahati Adarsha High School said.

Babita Patowary, teacher from Sonaram HS School said, “The students have gathered a lot of first-hand knowledge beyond their curriculum through this activity-based project on sustainability and waste. They have about the different types of waste and the problem wastes create as well as measures to be taken for waste management”.

In 2022, this programme received over 1,200 project entries, of which 20 entries were awarded as winners, while another 20 were shortlisted.

“Students were able to do projects on sustainability as a result of this project, and they learned about future sustainability in the process”, Banashri Phukan, Assistant teacher, Natun Fatasil High School, said.

The congress was attended by District Programme Officer, Education Department of Kamrup Tapashi Sarma, Programme Manager of Wipro Foundation Arathi Hanumanthappa, Aaranyak’s senior manager from Environment Education and Capacity Building Division Jayanta Kumar Pathak, environment conservation content creator Dhrubajyoti Kalita, Aaranyak’s sustainability educator Wasima Begum and teachers from the schools, staff, intern and volunteers from Aaranyak.