The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) and the National E-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL) launched an electric bus on campus today. This initiative is part of NeSL”s Sustainability Programme, underscoring a mutual commitment to clean energy and reducing carbon emissions. The inauguration was a significant step in IIMB”s green transition and was attended by notable leaders from IIMB, NeSL, and Canara Bank, including 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 the IIMB Development Foundation.
As part of the event, IIMB and NeSL honored Canara Bank officials for their outstanding contributions to the bank”s digital and environmental initiatives. Dubbed “Green Warriors”, these employees received Certificates of Merit in various categories, including the Top 10 performers in the Gold Loan portfolio and the Top 5 in Vehicle Loans. The recognition highlighted their efforts in improving operational efficiency and customer experiences while promoting sustainable practices within the banking sector.
During his address, Shri Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri welcomed the IIMB community and emphasized NeSL”s commitment to sustainable mobility and digital transformation. He stated, “Electric vehicles are not only eco-friendly but also more energy-efficient than fuel-based transport.” Chaudhuri pointed out NeSL”s ongoing support for IIMB”s green initiatives, such as the installation of solar panels and fast-charging EV stations, which collectively aim to create a sustainable model on campus. He expressed hope that visitors would view the electric bus as a symbol of environmental stewardship that encourages action beyond IIMB”s boundaries.
Chaudhuri also introduced NeSL”s Digital Document Execution (DDE) initiative, which marks India”s first paperless execution and digital storage platform for financial contracts. This initiative has significantly reduced paper consumption while enhancing cost efficiency and transparency. He praised Canara Bank for its collaboration with NeSL in transforming this initiative from a proof of concept to a nationally adopted solution.
In his opening remarks, Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar expressed appreciation for NeSL and Canara Bank”s continued partnership. He reaffirmed IIMB”s dedication to sustainability through various initiatives, including solar power generation and electric vehicle infrastructure. He commended the efforts of the institute”s administration and real estate teams in constructing 75 recharge wells across the campus.
Prof. Haritha Saranga elaborated on IIMB”s integrated strategy for managing water, energy, and waste. She noted that the 100-acre campus is home to over 25,000 trees and a diverse array of bird species, highlighting its rich natural ecosystem. Regarding water conservation, she shared that rooftop rainwater harvesting and recharge wells together capture 1.43 million liters annually, significantly raising the campus water table and enabling borewells to meet 20% of domestic water needs.
Furthermore, she discussed IIMB”s roadmap to achieving Net Zero emissions across Scope 1 and 2, supported by solar water heaters, a biogas plant, and extensive rooftop solar installations. On the topic of waste management, she mentioned Padcare, a start-up incubated at IIMB”s NSRCEL, which has developed technology to recycle sanitary waste, reducing reject waste to just 5%. Additionally, IIMB has successfully reduced its overall carbon emissions by 10% in the past five years.
Shri Bhavendra Kumar of Canara Bank reflected on the bank”s 120-year history and its strong ties to Karnataka. He praised the partnership with NeSL, noting that innovations like the Digital Document Execution platform have revolutionized gold loan processing, minimizing time, costs, and paper usage. He highlighted Canara Bank”s commitment to technology, stating that it now offers over 300 online banking services and is enhancing its relationships with fintechs and start-ups. On sustainable finance, Kumar emphasized that ESG principles are now integral to the bank”s risk management framework, focusing on mitigating both physical and transition risks associated with climate change.
