ITC WOW Awards Celebrate Telangana’s Recycling Champions and Green Leadership
ITC Limited honoured students, schools, colleges and corporates in Hyderabad for outstanding contributions to waste segregation, recycling and sustainable waste management under its flagship Wellbeing Out of Waste initiative.
- ITC WOW awards recognise recycling champions in Telangana
- Waste segregation and recycling drive under ITC WOW
- Students and institutions lead sustainability efforts
Hyderabad witnessed a strong push for environmental responsibility as ITC Limited hosted the ITC WOW Awards 2025–26 at Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium, Lakdikapul. The event highlighted collective efforts that are shaping a cleaner and more sustainable Telangana.
The awards ceremony focused on recognising individuals and institutions that translated awareness on waste management into measurable action. From students to corporates, the initiative honoured those who demonstrated leadership in recycling, source segregation and responsible disposal practices.
The programme forms a key milestone of ITC’s flagship solid waste management initiative, Wellbeing Out of Waste. The platform aims to encourage behavioural change at scale by strengthening recycling ecosystems and promoting community participation in sustainable practices.
Governor of Telangana Jishnu Dev Varma attended the event as chief guest. Senior ITC leaders including Rajesh Ponnuru, Sib Shankar Bandopadhyay and S N Umakanth were present, along with Murali Ramashetty, Executive Director of MARI, the regional implementation partner for ITC WOW.
A major highlight of the initiative is the Inter School Recycling Championship, which continues to engage young citizens in environmental action. Implemented across leading cities in South India, the programme motivates schools and students to actively participate in recycling drives, nurturing sustainability values from an early age.
The 2025–26 edition recorded an overwhelming response. More than 1.15 lakh students took part, collectively diverting nearly 1,200 metric tonnes of dry waste for recycling. Participation came from 614 schools across Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Siddipet, Sircilla and Bhadrachalam.
Nearly four lakh students were sensitised on waste segregation and responsible disposal through awareness activities. Government and private schools affiliated with SSC, CBSE and ICSE boards joined the movement, reflecting the programme’s inclusive reach and strong grassroots impact.
Launched in 2007, ITC WOW has evolved into one of India’s prominent solid waste management programmes. By promoting segregation at source, maximising resource recovery and supporting sanitation workers and waste pickers with sustainable livelihoods, the initiative continues to transform communities into cleaner and healthier environments.
