Guwahati: Four schools from Northeast India have been recognised at the Wipro earthian Awards 2025 for their outstanding work on sustainability, biodiversity and water conservation.
The awards were presented at the 15th edition of the Wipro earthian programme held at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru.
Organised by Wipro Limited, the annual initiative promotes integrated sustainability education and honours schools and colleges across India that demonstrate sustained and meaningful engagement with environmental issues. This year, the programme received over 2,000 submissions, from which an independent jury selected 25 winning teams. Among them were four schools from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
From Assam, Auniati Kamaldev Higher Secondary School in Guwahati was awarded for a project that examined local water challenges, traditional conservation practices and community attitudes towards water management.
Students conducted water quality testing in collaboration with IIT Guwahati and shared the findings to raise awareness on safe drinking water.
The project also documented traditional water preservation methods through interactions with local residents and elders, while highlighting the impacts of climate change on these practices.
North Guwahati Girls’ High School, also from Guwahati, won for its work on local biodiversity and ecosystem awareness. The project involved documenting biodiversity at school, at home and in the surrounding community.
Students undertook initiatives such as the Save Gangetic River Dolphin campaign, vulture-conservation art, bird-nest making and neem-soap preparation with local self-help groups.
They also reared stingless Melipona bees on campus to study pollination and created a wall mural using natural dyes to reflect their commitment to biodiversity conservation.
Intaya Public School in Ezengo, Arunachal Pradesh, was recognised for a biodiversity study conducted in the school campus and the Lower Dibang Valley.
The students documented wildlife and vegetation, comparing different microhabitats to understand the impact of human activity on bird diversity.
The project drew on Traditional Ecological Knowledge, including Mishmi folk tales about tigers and a seasonal calendar prepared in the Idu language, helping students connect biodiversity with food security, water sustainability and cultural identity.
From Nagaland, PM Shri Government High School, Kiruphema, received the award for surveying water sources in the school campus and Peducha village.
The students identified differences in water quality and interacted with local farmers to understand everyday water use. To demonstrate their learning, they created 3D models showcasing rainwater harvesting, drip-irrigation systems and simple water-purification methods.
Certificates and cash prizes were presented to the winning teams by Anurag Behar, Chief Executive Officer of Azim Premji Foundation, and Narayan P. S., Global Head of Sustainability and Societal Initiatives at Wipro Limited and Managing Trustee of Wipro Foundation.
Highlighting the significance of the programme, Narayan P. S. said the strength of Wipro earthian lies in grounding sustainability in lived realities, helping students understand environmental challenges through their immediate surroundings.
He noted that students across regions have moved beyond awareness to sustained engagement, approaching real environmental issues with curiosity, rigour and empathy.
Since its launch in 2011, the Wipro earthian programme has engaged more than 51,000 schools, 2.1 lakh students and 41,000 teachers across India, with support from organisations such as the Centre for Environment Education, CPREEC, Wild Ecologues, IIT Madras, IIM Bangalore and various state governments.