An Indian Social Enterprise ‘Takachar’, under the leadership of Vidyut Mohan was named as the winner of inaugural ‘2021 Earthshot Prize’ that was created by the United Kingdom’s Prince William to reward people fighting to save planet earth. Takachar won the ‘Earthshot Prize’, also known as ‘Eco Oscars’, under the “Clean Our Air” category for its invention to recycle agricultural waste.
- The first-ever Earthshot Prize or 2021 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony took place at the iconic Alexandra Palace in London.
i.In the finals, Takachar invention went head to head with a Solar-powered ironing cart project developed by 14-year old Vinisha Umashankar from Tamil Nadu.
Takachar Invention – A Cheap, small-scale, portable technology that attaches to tractors and converts crop residues to bio-products like fuel & fertilizers.
- Thereby eliminates the need for burning crop waste, and reduces air pollution.
Prize for Winners:
- Money – 1 million Pound
- Medal – Inspired by ‘Earthrise’ photo from Apollo 8 mission (1968), designed by Christien Meindertsma (Netherlands). The medal is completely made of recycled materials.
- The award is given under 5 broad categories.
Other Winners:
| Category | Winner | Invention |
|---|---|---|
| Protect & Restore Nature | Costa Rica | A scheme to pay citizens for the revival of the Rainforest |
| Build a Waste-free World | Milan, Italy | Waste-busting initiative |
| Revive Our Oceans | Bahamas | A project by 2 friends to grow coral reefs |
| Fix Our Climate | AEM ELECTROLYSER -Thailand, Germany & Italy | Hydrogen preparation by splitting water |
About Earthshot Prize:
i.The name refers to USA’s 1960s ambition, the “Moonshot”, which pledged to get a man on the Moon within a decade.
ii.Starting from 2021, it will be awarded annually for a decade, 5 projects with 1 million pounds each for further research to solve environmental problems.
- 2021’s Judges – Sir David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett and Shakira
- Venue of 2022 Earthshot Prize – USA
Recent Related News:
2 Indian Organisation-, Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Limited & Snehakunja Trust won the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ‘Equator Prize 2021’
About United Kingdom:
Prime Minister – Boris Johnson
Currency – Pound sterling
Capital – London
The Thames river flows through the capital city of London.
