After a huge success of the NDTV Toyota environment campaign Greenathon I & II, NDTV in partnership with Toyota today announced the Green Awards to encourage, acknowledge and award the Champions of the Earth for environmental leadership (globally) contributing most towards protecting our environment.

The Awards illustrate the crucial role that needs to be played by everyone across the spectrum and showcase examples of excellence and best practices in championing the green issues.

A first-of-its-kind award in India, Green Awards aim to recognise excellence in all sections of the society- Rural, Urban, Corporate, Domestic, Educational Institutions & Resident Welfare Associations. The contenders will be judged by eminent jury and the awardees will be given a cash prize of.100,000/-, a certificate and a Green Trophy. The eminent jury of experts, in partnership with TERI, from environmental and sustainable fields will form a steering group created for the Awards, to ensure we move forward with the best possible advice and expertise available. Actor Priyanka Chopra will play a key role as a Green Ambassador in this initiative.

The GREEN Awards are global and are opened for entries from all over the world. The GREEN Awards will recognise excellence in 17 categories, details available on ndtv.com/greenawards. Nominations will start from August and continue till September. Selection of the winners and awards announcement will take place in November this year. To raise awareness of the same, the Awards will be supported by an extensive media campaign in print and on radio as well.

Announcing the Green Awards, Dr. Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV Ltd, said, "The first and second years of the NDTV-Toyota Greenathon have been a huge success, and as we announce the Green Awards we are once again reaffirming our commitment to the cause which has become an inherent part of NDTV. We look forward to your support in establishing the NDTV-Toyota Green Awards on the national eco-calendar."

Pledging her support as the Green ambassador, Priyanka Chopra added, "Every citizen should take simple green steps to make Earth a better place to live in. The small steps taken forward will collectively turn into a big step and will show a measurable and positive change. I am happy that NDTV & Toyota Greenathon Campaign I & II were huge successes. It's the right time to acknowledge those who have made all possible efforts to make our future greener and safer. The Green awards will encourage the citizens to come forward and do their bits to save the environment. I feel privileged to be part of this noble initiative."

Appreciating the efforts, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Environment and Forests said, "Climate change is both a global and domestic issue today and requires a joint and concerted effort on the part of all concerned. This includes government, private industries, civil society groups as well as individuals. We need to significantly improve India's natural forest cover, establish an effective environmental grievance tribunal and chalk out a climate change agenda for sustainable and long-term growth. It is very important to inform and remind our citizens of the overarching importance to utilise our resources judiciously. I am glad that NDTV & Toyota have come together to speak out in furtherance of this noble cause. We applaud and support the work these responsible organisations are doing to secure the planet for our future generations, and hope they will continue their good work into the future."

Expressing his view on the partnership between NDTV & TERI Dr. RK Pachauri, Nobel Laureate for Peace Prize 2007, Director General TERI and Chairman IPCC, said, "The NDTV Toyota Green campaign is a positive step to mobilise the masses and ignite a green movement. The Greenathon I & II received enthusiastic public support from all sections of society. The association between NDTV & TERI brought light to millions of rural people in India. It is wonderful to see the partnership flourishing. I am happy NDTV conceived Green Awards. TERI will provide all possible support to make this Green awards successful."

Sharing his views on the initiative, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motors added, "Toyota is proud to be associated with India's biggest green awards. We believe in sustainable development, which means achieving synergy between environmental conservation and economic growth. To achieve this synergy, it is imperative that the cause of the environment be publicized as widely as possible, and green initiatives be recognized and adequately awarded. At our plant, we practice environment-friendly systems and processes to ensure the development of a prosperous, low-carbon society. Our plant is surrounded by a green belt and our operations (and those of our dealerships) meet the highest environmental standards. Last year, we executed a large-scale afforestation activity at our plant, where our employees, their friends and families and other stakeholders came together to plant nearly 64000 saplings."

The GREEN Awards will recognise excellence in 17 categories:

* Best Green Product
* Best Green Campaign
* Best Green State
* Best Green School
* Best Green Ambassador
* Best Green CSR Project
* Best Green Educational Project
* Best Green Innovation: Product
* Best Green Company
* Best Green Innovation: Technology
* Best Green Advertising
* Best Green Event
* Best Green Moving Image (audio-visual, tv spot, short film)
* Special Jury Green Award
* Green Hero: (Above 18 yrs)
* Green Champion: (Below 18 yrs)
* Best Green Design (Architecture)