Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has been awarded the Silver Award under the category “Excellence Award for Women in Green Energy and Energy Efficiency” at the 6th Green Urja and Energy Efficiency Awards organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi on February 4, 2026. The award recognises IREDA’s sustained commitment towards promoting gender inclusivity and empowering women professionals within India’s renewable energy sector.
The award was presented by Shri Anil Razdan, Former Secretary (Power), along with other dignitaries, and was received on behalf of IREDA by Mrs. Mala Ghosh Choudhury, General Manager (HR); Ms. Durre Shahwar, General Manager (HR); and Mrs. Punnu Grover, Chief Compliance Officer, along with other women officers of the organisation.
Congratulating the team on the achievement, Shri Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman and Managing Director of IREDA, stated that the recognition reflects the organisation’s consistent efforts to create a supportive and inclusive workplace. He emphasised that women professionals at IREDA are encouraged to grow, lead and contribute meaningfully to India’s clean energy journey. With women constituting around 23 per cent of its workforce, among the highest in Central Public Sector Enterprises, IREDA believes that empowering women is crucial to building a strong, resilient and future-ready clean energy ecosystem.
The CMD also expressed his gratitude to the Hon’ble Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, the Hon’ble Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy, the Secretary of MNRE, the Board of Directors and all stakeholders for their continued guidance and support. The recognition further reinforces IREDA’s role as a key enabler of India’s renewable energy ambitions while championing diversity, inclusion and sustainable development.
Goa, January 30, 2026: India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 concluded in Goa, celebrating innovators, startups, and leaders driving India’s energy transition. The four-day event, held from January 27 to 30, brought together policymakers, investors, and industry executives to discuss solutions for a secure, sustainable, and affordable energy future.
The AVINYA Energy Startup Challenge highlighted emerging Indian companies delivering technology-driven solutions:
Winner: Minimines Cleantech Solutions – for low-carbon recovery of high-value materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
1st Runner-Up: Ossus Biorenewables – for converting industrial wastewater into green hydrogen. 2nd Runner-Up: Tranzmeo IT Solutions – for AI-powered fiber-sensing applications for pipelines and CCUS processes. 3rd Runner-Up: Rezlytix Technologies – for AI-driven tools optimising oil and gas exploration. 4th Runner-Up: Petrobot Technologies – for robotic inspection in hydrocarbon plants. The international VASUDHA Upstream Startup Challenge recognised global innovators: Winner: SENERGETICS, The Netherlands – for AI-based corrosion monitoring. Runner-Up: Resermine Inc, USA – for hybrid reservoir engineering solutions.
Hackathon Highlights Seven premier institutes competed in a hackathon focused on energy technology: Winner: IIT Bombay – for Aura, an AI-driven unified reservoir analysis platform. Runner-Up: IIT Delhi – for a circular economy approach converting steel industry waste into CO₂ capture solutions. Industry Excellence Awards The Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) recognised outstanding achievements: Exploration Company of the Year: ONGC Production Company of the Year (Over 1 MTOE): Oil India Limited Production Company of the Year (Under 1 MTOE): Sun Petrochemicals Pvt. Ltd. Refinery of the Year: Reliance Industries Ltd., SEZ Refinery, Jamnagar Innovator of the Year (Joint Winners): Indian Oil R&D Division & Mangalore Refinery Innovation Center Best Managed Project: Shell India (PMG JV) City Gas Distribution Co. of the Year: Indraprastha Gas Limited Pipeline Transportation Co. of the Year: BPCL Oil Marketing Co. of the Year: HPCL Young Achievers: Ms. Vanashree Mahatre & Mr. Karthik R. The awards reflected India’s commitment to energy innovation, sustainable growth, and global leadership.
Goa, November 9, 2025 — The MRAI Sustainable Steel Conference 2025 (MSSC 2025), organised by the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI), opened today at ITC Grand Goa, marking the state’s first major ferrous-focused steel and recycling conference. Supported by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, and the National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST), the two-day event drew over 300 delegates, including steelmakers, recyclers, policymakers, and sustainability experts from across India.
The conference, themed “Green Steel and Sustainable Growth,” aims to accelerate India’s transition toward low-carbon steelmaking, aligning with the government’s roadmap for 300 million tonnes of sustainable steel production by 2030. The inauguration began with the traditional lamp lighting, followed by a welcome address by Mr. Zain Nathani, Vice President, MRAI, who emphasized that the discussions held at MSSC 2025 would define the next decade of India’s steel industry, particularly in the domains of standards, sustainability, and innovation.
Mr. Keyur Shah, Managing Director, Mono Steel (India) Ltd. and MRAI Board Director, noted that this marks Goa’s first ferrous conference by MRAI and highlighted the association’s evolution from 45 members to over 1,800. He also discussed significant policy wins such as zero import duty on ferrous scrap, simplified PCI procedures, and India’s vehicle scrappage policy under NITI Aayog, while announcing plans for green circular recycling parks and skill development programs.
Mr. Yogesh Mandhani, President of the All India Induction Furnace Association (AIIFA), reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to sustainability, citing that 17 companies have already received Green Steel Certificates from NISST. He stressed that collaboration between the industry and government will be crucial in ensuring affordable, sustainable steel production.
MRAI President Mr. Sanjay Mehta lauded the Ministry of Steel’s proactive engagement, noting that MRAI now operates across 11 recycling verticals in partnership with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Environment. He also announced plans for upcoming vertical-specific conferences across India, covering both ferrous and non-ferrous sectors.
Addressing the conference, Shri Parmjeet Singh, Director of NISST, outlined India’s Green Steel Taxonomy, introduced in December 2024, which provides the framework for classifying low-carbon steel. He highlighted that 47% of India’s 200 million tonnes of steel capacity comes from the secondary sector and 38% of this production uses ferrous scrap — underscoring recycling’s pivotal role in sustainability.
In a virtual address, Shri V. K. Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel, noted that India, now the world’s second-largest steel producer with 152 million tonnes of crude steel output, must focus on producing steel sustainably. He outlined the ministry’s strategy of short-term energy efficiency, medium-term hydrogen and carbon capture, and long-term net-zero steelmaking by 2070.
The inaugural day featured technical sessions on BIS standards and the evolving green steel market. BIS Director Shri Dwaipayan Bhadra emphasized the organisation’s collaborative and research-driven approach to standards, while a second session moderated by Mr. Abhijit Kulkarni of EY–Parthenon explored green steel procurement, financing, and policy frameworks.
Panellists from CII, RMI India Foundation, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Metalogic PMS discussed the importance of supportive policies and concessional financing to enable MSMEs to join the green transition. The day concluded with a networking dinner, fostering collaboration among government officials, industry leaders, and sustainability experts against Goa’s coastal backdrop.
The MRAI Sustainable Steel Conference 2025 continues on November 10, featuring discussions on carbon credits, recycling technology, and policy roadmaps for India’s sustainable industrial future.
On 5th October 2025, Shri Shripad Naik, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, inaugurated a 45 kW On-Grid Solar Power System at a water pumping station in North Goa. The project has been implemented as part of IREDA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to promote sustainable and clean energy in public infrastructure.
The solar power system is expected to generate approximately 60,000 units of electricity annually, ensuring 100% solarization of the pumping station’s load. This initiative not only enhances energy efficiency but also sets a benchmark for renewable integration into essential public utilities like water distribution.
In a message, Shri Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman and Managing Director of IREDA, emphasized that the project reflects the organization’s dedication to extending its clean energy vision beyond financial support into direct community impact. He noted that solarizing public services such as water pumping stations can serve as a scalable and replicable model for India’s broader sustainable energy transition.
The inauguration event was attended by key representatives from IREDA’s CSR team, the Goa Drinking Water Department, and local authorities, underscoring a collaborative effort toward building a greener future for India. This development is yet another step in aligning with the country’s commitment to achieving its renewable energy goals and promoting energy equity across all sectors.
In a transformative move for India’s digital infrastructure, Google is reportedly investing $6 billion to establish its largest AI data center outside the United States in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The ambitious project includes the development of a 1-gigawatt data facility and the supporting energy and digital ecosystem to power its operations. Out of the total investment, $2 billion is expected to be directed specifically toward renewable energy capacity, reinforcing Google’s global sustainability commitments.
This landmark facility is anticipated to become the largest data center in Asia, both in terms of capacity and investment size. It is also Google’s first-of-its-kind data center investment in India, making it a strategic cornerstone in the company’s regional expansion across Asia, where it is also ramping up operations in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
While Google and the Andhra Pradesh government have not officially confirmed the development, sources cited by Reuters suggest the announcement is likely to be made in October. If finalized, the data center will mark a major leap forward in India’s role in global cloud and AI infrastructure.
This project aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s aggressive digital vision. According to the state’s IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, the government has already secured agreements for data centers totaling 1.6 gigawatts, and plans are in place to scale that figure up to 6 gigawatts over the next five years. He emphasized that the initial 1.6 GW of data centers are expected to go live within the next 24 months, ushering in a new era of tech-driven economic growth for the state.
In addition to the data center buildout, Andhra Pradesh is also working to establish three international cable landing stations in Visakhapatnam. These critical infrastructures are essential for ensuring high-speed, reliable internet connections to global networks. Lokesh highlighted that the planned cable capacity would be twice the scale of what Mumbai currently handles, positioning Visakhapatnam as a future tech and connectivity hub for India.
Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, had previously announced in April 2025 its plan to invest up to $75 billion this year into building global data center capacity, underlining the critical role these infrastructures play in AI development, cloud computing, and digital transformation initiatives.
As India strengthens its position on the global tech map, this Visakhapatnam project stands as a milestone moment—not just for Andhra Pradesh but for the country’s broader ambitions to lead in AI, sustainability, and next-generation infrastructure.
