Staff Writer
Gurugram: Apollo Tyres and UNDP India brought together some of the country’s brightest students in Chennai on Friday for the 8th Environment and Nature Quiz Grand Finale, an event designed to deepen young people’s understanding of biodiversity and the role nature plays in daily life. The national contest is part of a broader effort to encourage environmentally responsible choices among India’s next generation.
Twelve teams from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Kerala reached the final stage after a series of regional rounds. St Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad emerged as the national champion, with Madras Christian College, Chennai taking the first runner-up position and St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru finishing second runner-up.
The event also featured a discussion titled In Harmony with Nature – From the Earth, For the Earth, where environmental experts stressed the urgency of protecting ecosystems and restoring balance between people and the natural world.
Speaking at the finale, Mita Banerjee, Principal Conservator of Forests and Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board, underlined the pressure forests face and the need for collective action. She said forests provide clean air and climate stability, but safeguarding them cannot be left to the Forest Department alone. She called on communities, corporate partners and especially young people to take the lead.
Rinika Grover, Head of Sustainability and CSR at Apollo Tyres, said the quiz aims to empower young participants to understand and act for biodiversity. She said the company’s collaboration with UNDP reflects a shared commitment to a more sustainable and ecologically balanced future.
Dr Ruchi Pant, who heads Natural Resource Management and Biodiversity at UNDP India, said the partnership with Apollo Tyres shows how private sector and development organisations can work together to inspire environmental action. By reaching thousands of students, she said, the initiative is helping build a generation that sees biodiversity not as an abstract idea but as a daily responsibility.
The quiz is one of Apollo Tyres’ ongoing sustainability and community initiatives, aligned with its long-standing focus on environmental conservation, education and youth development.
UNDP India works across the country to support sustainable natural resource management, strengthen water governance, conserve ecosystems, restore degraded landscapes and promote nature-based livelihoods. Its programmes aim to protect ecosystems that support livelihoods and wellbeing, while helping communities move toward long-term environmental resilience.
