New Delhi:  IIT Delhi celebrated World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, 2025 with the theme "Beat Plastic Pollution."

According to the UN Environment Programme, “Plastic pollution permeates every corner of the planet. By 2040, plastic leakage to the environment is predicted to grow by 50 percent, and that pollution creeps into our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air that we breathe. World Environment Day 2025 calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution.”

Aligned with this global call to action, the Academic Outreach and New Initiatives Office at IIT Delhi organised talks to raise awareness and promote sustainable practices.

The day featured talks by Prof. Babu J. Alappat, Department of Civil Engineering. His talk was titled "Understanding Environmental Problems and Their Solutions." Prof. Alappat, through his talk, highlighted the key environmental problems that need to be addressed immediately. As the session progressed, he also touched upon the probable solutions to the problems and how each one of us can bring about this change.

The second session featured a talk by BK Piyush, Director, Brahma Kumaris (Lodhi Road, New Delhi). His talk was titled —"Living in Harmony with Nature." Through his talk, BK Piyush highlighted how being in harmony with nature can help us live a life full of melody. He further highlighted how living with nature can help us live a healthy and happy life.

The talks were attended by students from various schools/colleges across the Delhi NCR as a part of the Sci Tech Spin: Lecture Series, an initiative by the Office of Academic Outreach and New Initiatives, IIT Delhi. These events are especially designed towards meeting IIT Delhi's mandate to bridge the gap between academia and society and promote curiosity and innovation.

In continuation of its efforts to promote environmental responsibility among the youth, IIT Delhi is also conducting a cleanliness drive at the Institute on 22nd June 2025 with the help of the National Service Scheme (NSS) IITD. Prof. Jay Dhariwal, a faculty member in the Department of Design, is leading the cleanliness drive. The objective of the drive is to spread awareness among students about keeping the campus clean and to encourage efforts towards achieving a Net Zero Waste campus.

Prof. Jay is also spearheading another flagship initiative of the Outreach office, which is Change Makers. The theme of Change Makers 2.0 is "Sustainability and Innovation." The program has a mix of around 120 students from various schools and colleges across the country. Under expert guidance, the selected students will work towards achieving sustainability through innovation. The program will run from June 9 to June 27 in hybrid mode.

IIT Delhi is consistently working towards aligning itself with the United Nations SDGs, thereby affirming its commitment towards transforming our world by addressing critical challenges and ensuring a better future for all.

ENDS