Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, October 07, 2022
Biocon Foundation, the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of the Bengaluru-headquartered Biocon Limited, has been conferred with the ‘Mahatma Award 2022 For Excellence in Social Good’. The awards were presented on the eve of the Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. Mahatma Awards were founded and instituted by social entrepreneur and philanthropist Amit Sachdeva, better known as ‘The CSR Man of India’ and are supported by Aditya Birla Group.
Biocon Foundation has received the award under the ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ category for the work done by the Foundation in Bengaluru city. This award recognizes the organizations working towards making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Dr Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, received the award at a function held in New Delhi at the India International Centre. The award was presented to Biocon Foundation as a mark of recognition of various projects undertaken during the year for reducing the environmental impact on cities. Some of these were contributing to the urban mobility solution i.e. BMRCL’s Hebbagodi Metro Station, Hebbagodi Lake Rejuvenation, transformation of the Minsk Square traffic island, creating urban micro-forests in Dakshina Kannada. It also aims to provide access to safe and inclusive public spaces, particularly for the women and children.
Speaking on the occasion, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon and Managing Trustee, Biocon Foundation, said, “ ‘The Mahatma Gandhi Award for Excellence in Social Good’ is a great recognition of Biocon Foundation’s comprehensive efforts towards improving the quality of life in Bengaluru. The Foundation’s active engagement in various initiatives, including the lake rejuvenation project, urban afforestation, urban landscaping and contributions towards an eco-friendly mass transit system are a reflection of Biocon’s commitment to holistic Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. We believe that through the collective efforts of citizens, the government and corporates we can bring in innovative solutions to transform Bengaluru into a sustainable city of the future with a higher liveability index.”
On receiving the award, Dr Anupama Narayan Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation, said, “We are extremely happy to receive the Mahatma Award for the second consecutive year. It is a testimony to the continuous work of the foundation. We have been undertaking several eco-friendly projects to make the denizens and their living spaces a better place. We will continue our initiatives for the betterment of our society, our people and our environment.”
The Minsk Square project in Bengaluru transformed 3,700 square meters into an attractive landscape, including a green area of more than 1,800 square meters to reduce the heat island effects. This has made the square very welcoming of the citizenry.
A Miyawaki forest is being developed on over 3,200 square meters of land owned by the Mangaluru City Corporation in Dakshina Kannada. The technique, pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, helps build dense, native forests.
Biocon Foundation had previously won the Mahatma Award for ‘Good Health and Well-being’ during the year 2021.
Since its inception in 2017, the Mahatma Awards have honoured more than 350 change-making organizations and impact leaders across various categories and sectors.
About Mahatma Awards:
The Mahatma Awards recognize and celebrate impact leaders and change-makers across the globe, who are making a social impact and leading the way to a sustainable future. Since its inception, Mahatma Award has honoured the most accomplished sustainable, responsible, social efforts and initiatives within the private, public, and development sectors. The initiatives range from sustainability to philanthropy to shared value to social impact to corporate social responsibility. Mahatma Awards were founded and instituted by social entrepreneur and philanthropist Amit Sachdeva, better known as ‘The CSR Man of India.
The award is very well supported by The Aditya Birla Group as a mark of respect to
Mr Ghanshyam Das Birla, who had close ties with Mahatma Gandhi. In order to continue
Mr Ghanshyam’s legacy and recognize the deserving organizations, the Aditya Birla Group continues to aid the Mahatma Award.
About Biocon Foundation:
Biocon Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Biocon, Biocon Biologics and Syngene International, is working to empower marginalized communities since 2005. Biocon Foundation partners with the society to promote social and economic inclusion. It has thus made significant investments in enhancing access to quality healthcare, education and civic infrastructure along with environmental sustainability projects. Combined with field initiatives, these programs create a momentum to elevate the marginalized sections of the society. Over the years, Biocon Foundation has built a strong reputation for the quality of its programs and their impact in addressing the social, humanitarian and environmental challenges facing India. To make a more meaningful impact, the Foundation regularly partners with government agencies and like-minded organizations for program delivery. Besides addressing critical national and state level challenges in primary healthcare, education and rural development, the Foundation is also augmenting environmental sustainability through the lake revival mission in Bengaluru. Visit: http://www.bioconfoundation.org
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