IIM Bangalore, NeSL Launch Electric Bus To Drive Sustainability On Campus
The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), in collaboration with the National E-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL), inaugurated an electric bus on campus today. The initiative, part of NeSL’s Sustainability Programme, reflects a shared commitment to promoting clean energy and reducing carbon emissions.
The event marked a key milestone in IIMB’s ongoing green transition and was attended by senior leaders from IIMB, NeSL, and Canara Bank, including Shri Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri, Managing Director and CEO of NeSL; Smt. Nivedita E.P., Executive Director, NeSL; Shri Bhavendra Kumar, Executive Director, Canara Bank; Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director In-charge, IIMB; Prof. Haritha Saranga, Chairperson, Sustainability Taskforce, IIMB; Prof. M. Jayadev, Dean Administration, IIMB; and Rohit Jaisingh, CEO, IIMB Development Foundation.
Honouring Canara Bank’s ‘Green Warriors’
As part of the event, IIMB and NeSL felicitated Canara Bank officials for their exceptional contributions to the bank’s digital and green initiatives. Recognised as ‘Green Warriors’, employees received Certificates of Merit across multiple categories — including the Top 10 performers in the Gold Loan portfolio, Top 5 in Vehicle Loans, and outstanding teams from the Retail, Gold Loan, and IT/LAPS wings, as well as the Global Trade Processing Centre in Manipal and the best-performing branch in issuing electronic Bank Guarantees (eBG).
The recognition highlighted their role in enhancing operational efficiency, improving customer experience, and driving sustainable digital transformation within the banking ecosystem.
NeSL’s Push for Green Innovation
In his address, Shri Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri welcomed the IIMB community and underscored NeSL’s focus on sustainable mobility and digital transformation. “Electric vehicles are not only eco-friendly but also more energy-efficient than fuel-based transport,” he said.
He noted NeSL’s continued support for IIMB’s green projects, such as the installation of solar panels and fast-charging EV stations, which together aim to build a model sustainability framework on campus. “We hope every visitor sees this as a symbol of environmental stewardship that inspires action beyond IIMB’s boundaries,” he added.
Chaudhuri also highlighted NeSL’s Digital Document Execution (DDE) initiative — India’s first paperless execution and digital storage platform for financial contracts — which has helped reduce paper consumption while enhancing cost efficiency and transparency. He commended Canara Bank for partnering with NeSL to scale this initiative from proof of concept to national adoption.
IIMB’s Sustainability Vision
In his opening remarks, Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar expressed gratitude to NeSL and Canara Bank for their sustained collaboration. He reaffirmed IIMB’s commitment to sustainability through initiatives such as solar power generation, EV infrastructure, and rainwater harvesting, crediting the institute’s administration and real estate teams for their efforts in building 75 recharge wells across the campus.
Prof. Haritha Saranga, Chairperson of IIMB’s Sustainability Taskforce, elaborated on the institute’s integrated approach to managing water, energy, and waste. She revealed that IIMB’s 100-acre campus hosts over 25,000 trees and thousands of bird species, underscoring its thriving natural ecosystem.
Detailing water conservation efforts, she said rooftop rainwater harvesting and recharge wells collectively capture 1.43 million litres annually, which has raised the campus water table to 6.5 metres and enables borewells to meet 20% of domestic water needs.
She also discussed IIMB’s roadmap to achieve Net Zero emissions across Scope 1 and 2, supported by solar water heaters, a biogas plant, and extensive rooftop solar installations. On waste management, she spotlighted Padcare, a start-up incubated at IIMB’s NSRCEL, which has developed technology to recycle sanitary waste — helping reduce reject waste to just 5%. The institute, she added, has cut its overall carbon emissions by 10% in the past five years.
Canara Bank’s Digital and ESG Focus
Shri Bhavendra Kumar, Executive Director of Canara Bank, reflected on the bank’s 120-year legacy and its deep roots in Karnataka. He lauded the partnership with NeSL, noting that innovations like the Digital Document Execution platform have revolutionised gold loan processing, reducing time, cost, and paper usage.
Highlighting Canara Bank’s embrace of technology, Kumar said the bank now offers over 300 online banking services and continues to strengthen its ties with fintechs and start-ups. On sustainable finance, he emphasised that ESG principles are now embedded within the bank’s risk management framework, with growing focus on mitigating both physical and transition risks of climate change.
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