PRESS RELEASE
Arpit Dhupar of Chakr Innovation named Young Champion of the Earth for Asia and the Pacific by United Nations
Arpit was one of two Young Champions of the Earth for Asia and the Pacific for his tireless efforts to tackle some of the most urgent environmental issues of our times
New Delhi, 4 October 2018: Arpit Dhupar, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Chakr Innovation has been named one of the seven Young Champions of the Earth by the UN Environment on 13 September 2018. This award is meant to recognise young environmental entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 30 from around the world for their bold, innovative projects. He was awarded at a ceremony in New York on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the UN General Assembly on 26 September 2018 for his persistent contribution to moving towards a greener future.
The Young Champions of the Earth Prize was first started in 2017, offering the prestigious and highly successful Champions of the Earth platform – with laureates including heads of state, inspiring scientists, and environmental visionaries – to brilliant young environmentalists with a vision and a plan for the future. Each Young Champion will receive US$15,000 in seed funding, as well as mentorship and technical support to amplify their big idea.
Arpit received the award for his groundbreaking technology that filters ~ 90 per cent of particulate matter from diesel generators and turning it into ink, without impairing mechanical performance of the generator set. The menace of air pollution is a pressing concern for India and the entire world at large and diesel generators used for power back-ups in areas of erratic power supply are a proven source of particulate matter pollution. Currently there exist no national regulations for diesel generators that are in-use, even though studies show that already commissioned generators can pollute up to 11 times more than the standards that exist at the manufacturer’s end. The Chakr Shield offers a low-cost technology solution to control this pollution at source.
“It is super critical to have an innovative mindset clubbed with a practical approach for effectively addressing key environmental challenges that have now started affecting our daily lives. To this end, we feel truly heartened on having been recognized by the United Nations, and sincerely hope to leverage their support in enabling greater adaptability of solutions to environmental challenges in India. This award will help us spread awareness about the solutions for pollution abatement and will be an open sesame for national and international avenues where these solutions can fit”, said Mr. Arpit Dhupar of Chakr.
Alongside the Young Champions, the UN Environment on 26 September 2018 also announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one of the awardees for the UN’s highest environmental honor, the Champions of the Earth Award at a special ceremony, which will be presented by UN Secretary General António Guterres. This honor has been bestowed upon the PM for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and a revolutionary pledge to put an end to single-use plastic in the country by 2022.