The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) partnered with National E-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL) to launch an electric bus on its campus today. This initiative is part of NeSL”s Sustainability Programme, demonstrating a mutual dedication to advancing clean energy and lowering carbon emissions. The inauguration event signifies an important milestone in IIMB”s green transition and saw the participation of senior leaders from IIMB, NeSL, and Canara Bank.
Notable attendees included Shri Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri, Managing Director and CEO of NeSL; Smt. Nivedita E.P., Executive Director of NeSL; Shri Bhavendra Kumar, Executive Director of Canara Bank; Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director In-charge of IIMB; Prof. Haritha Saranga, Chairperson of the Sustainability Taskforce at IIMB; Prof. M. Jayadev, Dean of Administration at IIMB; and Rohit Jaisingh, CEO of IIMB Development Foundation.
During the event, IIMB and NeSL honored Canara Bank officials for their significant contributions to the bank”s digital and environmental initiatives. Recognized as “Green Warriors”, these employees received Certificates of Merit in various categories, including the Top 10 performers in the Gold Loan portfolio, Top 5 in Vehicle Loans, and other outstanding teams from several departments.
The awards highlighted the employees” crucial role in improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and fostering sustainable digital transformation within the banking sector.
In his address, Shri Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri welcomed the IIMB community and emphasized NeSL”s commitment to sustainable mobility and digital innovation. He stated, “Electric vehicles are not only eco-friendly but also more energy-efficient than fuel-based transport.” He also pointed out NeSL”s ongoing support for IIMB”s green initiatives, which include the installation of solar panels and fast-charging EV stations, all aimed at creating a model sustainability framework on campus.
Chaudhuri expressed hope that the electric bus would serve as a symbol of environmental responsibility, inspiring action beyond the boundaries of IIMB. He also mentioned NeSL”s Digital Document Execution (DDE) initiative, which is India”s first paperless execution and digital storage platform for financial contracts. This initiative has significantly reduced paper usage while improving cost efficiency and transparency.
In his opening remarks, Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar thanked NeSL and Canara Bank for their ongoing collaboration. He reaffirmed IIMB”s commitment to sustainability through various initiatives, including solar power generation and EV infrastructure. He credited the administration and real estate teams for establishing 75 recharge wells on campus.
Prof. Haritha Saranga elaborated on IIMB”s holistic approach to managing water, energy, and waste. She noted that IIMB”s vast 100-acre campus is home to over 25,000 trees and numerous bird species, highlighting its rich natural ecosystem. She explained that rooftop rainwater harvesting and recharge wells together capture 1.43 million liters annually, raising the water table on campus to 6.5 meters and allowing borewells to meet 20% of domestic water needs.
Additionally, she discussed IIMB”s goal of achieving Net Zero emissions across Scope 1 and 2, supported by solar water heaters, a biogas plant, and extensive rooftop solar installations. Notably, she emphasized the work of Padcare, a start-up incubated at IIMB”s NSRCEL, which has developed technology for recycling sanitary waste, reducing reject waste to just 5%. Over the past five years, IIMB has successfully reduced its overall carbon emissions by 10%.
Shri Bhavendra Kumar, Executive Director of Canara Bank, reflected on the bank”s rich 120-year legacy and its strong ties to Karnataka. He praised the partnership with NeSL and noted that innovations like the Digital Document Execution platform have transformed gold loan processing, minimizing time, cost, and paper usage. Kumar highlighted Canara Bank”s adoption of technology, stating that the bank now offers over 300 online banking services and continuously strengthens its collaboration with fintechs and start-ups. He also emphasized that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are now integrated into the bank”s risk management framework, focusing on addressing both physical and transition risks related to climate change.
