Turning sewage into a solution: IIT Kharagpur team wins national honour
The Statesman | 13 June 2025
In a world racing against water scarcity, a team of young minds from IIT Kharagpur has turned a waste problem into a game-changing solution, and captured the nation’s attention.
With an audacious idea that transforms raw sewage into a resource for sustainable energy production, the team has emerged as the national winner in the “Save Water” category of the ministry of environment’s prestigious Ideas4LiFE initiative.
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Their innovation, praised as a blueprint for future-ready urban sustainability, was honoured at a high-profile World Environment Day event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi — a celebration of bold, actionable ideas for a greener planet.
Their pioneering idea to repurpose raw sewage in hydrothermal carbonization, reducing freshwater usage, stood out among over 1,300 entries from across the country.
Comprising Rajarshi Bhar, Joydeepa Taran, and Anil, and mentored by Prof Brajesh Kumar Dubey of the department of civil engineering, the IIT Kharagpur team was felicitated at a prestigious World Environment Day ceremony held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Union minister Bhupender Yadav lauded the winning ideas as “innovative, citizen-centric, and sustainable solutions that pave the way for environmentally responsible living.”
The award-winning project, titled “Reducing Water Footprint Using Raw Sewage during Hydrothermal Carbonization,” introduces a groundbreaking method of utilizing untreated municipal sewage as a moisture source during the production of lignocellulosic hydrochar. This not only minimises dependence on precious freshwater but also aligns water conservation with efficient waste management and renewable energy generation — a holistic model for sustainable urban development.
The Ideas4LiFE initiative — a collaborative effort of MoEFCC and UNICEF YuWaah under the Prime Minister’s Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) — was launched at IIT Delhi on 29 July, 2024, to encourage youth-driven eco-solutions across seven key themes. Out of 1,384 submissions nationwide, only 21 were selected as top ideas, reflecting a highly competitive and expert-evaluated process.
IIT Kharagpur’s recognition in this prestigious platform underscores the institute’s continuing commitment to combining academic research with real-world environmental solutions, an IIT spokesperson said, adding that their success marks yet another milestone in India’s journey toward sustainable innovation and youth-led climate action.