At the core of the development sector lie stories of extraordinary courage, stories that rarely make headlines but quietly shape the future of communities. The Junoon Awards, named after the Hindi word for “passion,” were created to honour this spirit. Junoon recognises organisations that push boundaries, take risks for the larger good, and persist with resilience in the face of adversity.
Over the years, the awards have highlighted different dimensions of commitment. The first edition, Junoon ’23, celebrated exceptional COVID-19 resilience, spotlighting those who worked in uncertainty and fear to support communities through a global crisis. The second edition, Junoon ’24, shifted focus to innovation, honouring organisations that reimagined systems and introduced fresh, transformative approaches to long-standing social challenges.
In its third edition, Junoon ’25 turns to one of the most urgent priorities of our time: Redefining Resilience—Climate Action for Lasting Change. As climate disruptions increasingly reshape lives and landscapes across India, the awards honour organisations that respond with courage rooted in community wisdom and long-term thinking. This year, Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra stands out in the category of Circularity, recognised for its persistent efforts to build systems where materials, skills, and community capacities are regenerated rather than wasted—creating pathways for long-term, people-led resilience.
The Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra,founded by a group of engineers inspired by Gandhian and Sarvodaya ideals in 1971, began its work in Bahera village of Hazaribagh district, then part of unified Bihar. With an integrated rural development approach, the organisation has long worked across health, education, livelihoods, and governance. As waste generation and environmental pressures increased, Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra recognised the need for sustainable waste solutions and launched the Clean Jharkhand Project in the early 2000s.
This initiative, along with the establishment of permanent recycling units, marked their shift toward decentralised waste management and environmentally conscious rural development. This initiative, along with the establishment of permanent recycling units, marked their shift toward decentralised waste management and environmentally conscious rural development. Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra’s operations reflect a clear alignment with SDGs, particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 8 (Decent Work).
Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra’s initiatives strongly embody circular economy principles by reducing waste, reusing resources, and promoting eco-friendly alternatives. Having witnessed firsthand the inequities and infrastructural gaps across rural communities, the organisation was driven to adopt an integrated, long-term development model. Their recycling units convert cow dung and organic waste into high-quality vermicompost and transform scrap paper into durable green millboards. Through these recycling units, sustainable farming initiatives, and robust community engagement, Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra has built a closed-loop system where waste is repurposed locally into useful resources.
These circular practices reduce emissions, restore soil health, and decrease reliance on synthetic inputs, helping ensure long-term ecological balance. Each year, Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra produces about 825 MT of vermicompost and 370 MT of green millboard. More than 17,000 farmers across Jharkhand and Bihar now use Lok Vermi Compost as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilisers. The recycling units also provide livelihoods for over 50 rural individuals, while the green millboard supports small-scale industries in bookbinding, framing, and packaging—extending the impact of circularity across multiple sectors.
Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra’s strength lies in rooting circularity within rural communities while integrating environmental, economic, and social benefits. Unlike urban-focused waste models, their rural-first approach connects waste management directly with agriculture and small-scale livelihoods. By engaging farmers, women, and local enterprises, Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra has created a scalable circular economy system built on community ownership and long-term environmental stewardship.Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra’s journey proves that when communities lead, circularity becomes not just a system, but a way of life that strengthens both people and the planet.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that meaningful climate action begins where people live, work, and grow together. Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra’s journey reminds us that solutions rooted in empathy, community ownership, and long-term thinking are often the most powerful.
By transforming waste into livelihoods and resilience, this model proves that progress does not have to come at the cost of people or the planet. It shows how cooperation, local wisdom, and shared responsibility can build harmony between nature and communities, rather than conflict. As climate challenges deepen, stories like these reaffirm that kindness, dialogue, and collective action can drive lasting change. Should India invest more trust and resources in community-led climate solutions to shape a more sustainable and inclusive future?
