Grundfos India and NDTV Make Energy Efficiency the Buzz Word on World Environment Day

Media Brief

New Delhi, June 6, 2014

NDTV and Grundfos Pumps India Pvt Ltd (Grundfos India) turned the spotlight on the looming energy crisis this World Environment Day with The Mission Energy Sessions – a platform for prominent energy experts, policy makers and industry leaders to highlight issues; recommend solutions for industry and the new government; and focus on energy efficient ideas for the future. Actor Abhay Deol felicitated winners of the NDTV Grundfos Mission Energy Challenge, which saw 100 contenders competing to achieve highest energy and monetary savings. This was India’s first televised eco-challenge, conducted in association with CII, and winners include Larsen & Toubro Ltd, Vadodara; Indian School of Business, Mohali; Kesoram Industries Ltd , Sedam and homeowner Ameetsinh Vaghela.

The event, held at the Taj Palace in the capital, had prominent personalities present including actor Abhay Deol, who is building an eco-home in Goa; Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General-  Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India; Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director - Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL); Naina Lal Kidwai, Executive Director & Country Head – HSBC and Former President – FICCI; Ranganath N K, Managing Director -  Grundfos Pumps India; Jørgen Bjelskou, Group Public Affairs Director – Grundfos; Dr Sunita Narain, Director General - Centre for Science and Environment (CSE); Mili Majumdar, Director, Sustainable Habitat Division – TERI; Beroz Gazdar, Head Sustainability - Mahindra and Mahindra; Krishan Dhawan, Chief Executive Officer - Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation; Dr Prem Jain, Chairman - IGBC - CII; Samit Aich, Executive Director – Greenpeace, amongst others.

The event marked the culmination of the NDTV-Grundfos Mission Energy Campaign, which was launched earlier this year to create awareness about the importance of energy efficiency and encourage individual efforts towards conservation. While the first panel focussed on the key role that sectors of industry, transport and buildings play in energy efficiency and saw recommendations on how to fill the gaps in policy implementation, the second session drew attention to how innovations in approach or products – like a shoe mobile phone charger, a car that runs on water, a refrigerator that doesn’t need electricity - are crucial in helping build an energy-sufficient future for the country.

Ranganath N K, Managing Director, Grundfos India said, "We partnered with NDTV to promote energy efficiency in India through the Mission Energy campaign on TV. This is a first of its kind initiative and was aimed at sensitizing all the stakeholders on the importance of energy conservation.  In the last five months, this campaign has had a considerable impact on various stakeholders like the Government, industry, educational institutions, as well as individuals. People are waking up to the fact that energy conservation is critical to ensure we bridge the demand - supply gap in India. Not only this, there are savings in costs as well - for the individual and for the nation. India has still a long way to go till it can completely bridge the energy deficit. Being energy efficient will help us achieve this at a lower cost to the country. We at Grundfos along with NDTV are happy to have helped increase the awareness and the momentum through Mission Energy."

Vikram Chandra, Group CEO, NDTV said, "Over the years, NDTV has brought focus on a number of social issues through various campaigns. This was another crucial attempt by us to create awareness about energy conservation and the campaign has successfully inspired the citizens of the country to join us and work towards a cleaner, greener future.  I am glad that we were able to highlight viable solutions that can be adopted, both at an individual level as well as by corporates.

NDTV-Grundfos Mission Energy is supported by CII as Knowledge Partner, TERI as Content Partner and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and AEEE as Energy Efficiency Partners.

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