Manav Subodh, Founder of 1M1B and Curator of 1.5 Matters
Manav Subodh is expanding climate action and employability through Green Skills and Applied AI Centres of Excellence in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Noida, in partnership with Microsoft, MeitY Startup Hub and government stakeholders. By 2030, the five centres aim to engage 100,000 young people and create pathways to 50,000 jobs, internships, apprenticeships and entrepreneurship opportunities. The first year targets 20,000 learners and 50 AI-powered climate innovation use cases. In Hyderabad, AI applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing will focus on improving water and energy efficiency and waste management. Subodh calls this approach ‘90% AI’—making advanced technology practical and accessible in everyday work. Through the annual 1M1B Summit at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, young Indian changemakers also gain a platform to showcase their environmental initiatives to global leaders and stakeholders.
Neha Jain and Piyush Sharma, Co-founders, Ekarth Studio
Architect Neha Jain and structural engineer Piyush Sharma founded Ekarth Studio to explore how contemporary architecture can integrate environmental responsibility with modern aspirations. Inspired by traditional building knowledge and their engagement with bamboo at the Auroville Bamboo Centre, they seek to bridge indigenous materials, craftsmanship and contemporary engineering rather than reject conventional construction systems.
Their interdisciplinary approach combines bamboo construction, material research, climate-responsive design and local craft ecosystems to create low-impact, resilient spaces. For the founders, sustainability must be embedded from the outset in a building’s material choices, structure, climate response and user experience—not added as an afterthought. Equally important is making environmentally conscious architecture desirable, commercially viable and accessible without compromising comfort, aesthetics or quality.
Collaboration between architects, engineers, craftspeople, manufacturers and clients is central to overcoming industry resistance and demonstrating the reliability of alternative construction methods. Projects such as The Firefly, The Gathering food pavilion and the Ilaiyaraaja Music Centre at IIT Madras showcase their efforts to reduce dependence on reinforced concrete and steel while meeting practical constraints of time, budget and performance. Ekarth Studio’s philosophy positions sustainability not as a compromise, but as an opportunity to create meaningful, contemporary architecture.
Tara Lal, Founder and Creative Director, Aranyani
Conservation scientist and creative director Tara Lal founded Aranyani to connect people with nature through design, ecology and public engagement. After working across architecture, design and film, she pursued conservation science at Imperial College London, recognising that meaningful conservation requires changing human behaviour.
The inaugural Aranyani Pavilion in 2026 transformed invasive lantana into a large-scale public installation, bringing together architects, ecologists, craftspeople and sound artists. A canopy featuring 50 native and naturalised plant species, along with a central stone shrine, was designed for continued use beyond the exhibition. Through immersive, sensory experiences, Lal seeks to make environmental awareness inviting rather than intimidating.
Her forthcoming 2027 Pavilion, Liminal Spaces, will explore wetland ecologies and their overlooked importance. Lal highlights how wetland destruction contributes to flooding, water scarcity, rising temperatures and declining public health, with vulnerable communities often bearing the greatest costs. For her, sustainability also means rethinking growth—not simply producing more, but deepening impact, strengthening relationships and creating initiatives that endure.
Read the full story that first appeared in The New Indian Express dated Nov 15, 2026 here:
Leave a Reply