New Delhi, 17th July 2023: The inaugural City Champions Summit today recognised and awarded 15 top Indian organisations driving urban transformation. The 15 innovators honoured at the event were chosen by a 9 member jury from across the country. The summit also brought together experts, grassroots innovators, funders and CSR leaders in the space of sustainable urban development.
Organised by Josh Talks, a regional content and upskilling platform, and supported by Omidyar Network India, an investment firm focused on impact, the event was the culmination of the overarching City Champions campaign which Josh Talks launched earlier this year, aligned with both the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and India’s G20 priorities focused on unity and a shared future. The summit also provided a platform to foster discussions on smart cities, drive innovative solutions for urban development, and catalyse climate action.
In her opening address, Anna Roy, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, said, “Initiatives such as the City Champions give an opportunity to all citizens, especially youth to take the lead in solving the last-mile problems. This not only creates role models but also motivates other citizens to innovate and solve for grassroot challenges at scale. It is heartening to witness the dedication and innovation showcasedby not just the winners but all the participants. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to them.”
Supriya Paul, CEO & Co-founder of Josh Talks said, “Since we launched the City Champions campaign earlier this year, it has reached more than 3 million people across 121 cities in India. The culmination of efforts from the last six months have led us to this extraordinary juncture to host this summit where we honour 15 organisations working across sectors such as Transportation, Urban Waste Management, Healthcare, Urban Disaster Management amongst others. The City Champions Summit is more than just an event, it is a movement towards creating inclusive and sustainable cities for all.”
“The City Champions Summit is a celebration of change makers who have a vision for the cities of the future and who are endeavouring to build better cities. We do hope that by showcasing their work and its impact, we are able to inspire a community of like minded individuals, organisations and citizens that can shape & support inclusive city development and can mobilise capital for this emerging yet critical sector”, said Shilpa Kumar, Partner, Omidyar Network India.
On its multiple panels, the summit hosted notable leaders from the urban development sector such as Anjali Bansal - Founder, Avaana Capital; Anoop Poddar - Managing Director, Eversource Capital; Dr. Nidhi Pundir - Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation, Kanta Singh - Deputy Country Representative, UN Women India amongst others.
Full list of winners:
1. Best Youth-Led Changemaker: Climec Lab
2. Lead Innovator of the Year: Waste is Gold Technologies
3. Local Data Mitr: Red Dot Foundation - Safecity
4. Best Women-Led Initiative: Baeru
5. Urban Service Delivery: National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI)
6. Urban Transport Solutions: Parisar Sanrakshan Sanvardhan Sanstha
7. Urban Healthcare Excellence: Glad Bharat Foundation
8. Inclusivity Champion: HIVE India
9. Excellence in Water and Sanitation: TechXcl India Private Limited
10. Excellence in Ecosystem Preservation: Respirer Living Sciences
11. Excellence in Swacchta: EcoWrap
12. Social Edge Award: Aadiwasi Janjagruti
13. City Welfare Award: Vrikshit Foundation
14. Urban Finance Solutions: Institute of Social Responsibility and Accountability (ISRA)
15. City Suraksha Award: Eternal Bliss
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