From construction to mobility, this entrepreneur is raising the bar for ‘Going Green’

As civilisation continues its relentless march towards urbanisation and development, concerns around the sustainability of modern construction practices have come to the fore. While organisations across a variety of sectors have been revamping their operations in innovative ways to reduce their impact on the environment, much is left to be desired from the construction industry.

Spearheading the efforts in this direction in a big way is the Navrattan Group of Companies, which, under the leadership of its chairman Himansh Verma, has developed the ‘Navrattan Green Crete’ or ‘Green Cement’. “Navrattan Green Crete will heal the earth instead of killing it,” attests Himansh, who took the calling of entrepreneurship at the young age of 18.

Green Cement is primarily made from discarded industrial waste like fly ash and slag, and uses little actual cement. This makes it more economically viable to use than regular cement, and can be used for regular construction activities, including building highrises. The Navrattan Group also attests that producing Green Crete emits less carbon dioxide compared to conventional cement. As a result, it can bring down the carbon footprint by 40 percent.

“Green Cement will give a new direction to the construction business sector and it will also address the growing problem of pollution as it is being manufactured, literally, from the garbage generated in the cities,” he says.

Himansh has been at the forefront of several green initiatives across the Navrattan Group of companies. The conglomerate owns the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) of more than 60 innovative technologies, all of which fall under the ‘green’ category.

The young business magnate is known for several eco-friendly projects that have raised the bar for construction projects not only in India, but even abroad. Himansh’s businesses are spread across multiple sectors which, apart from construction, include basalt mining, alternative energy generation, waste management, science and technology, infrastructure, agriculture, transportation, and also healthcare.

Another one of the company’s ‘green’ initiatives is the Navrattan composite electric bus, designed for modern city transportation. It is an environment-friendly and sustainable electric bus manufactured completely from composite plastics, which has a lower impact on the environment in comparison to its fossil fuel counterparts.

The e-bus has passenger-friendly and spacious interiors, with lower operating costs for transportation. The e-bus has been designed and manufactured by Navrattan Holdings Limited—the science and technology vertical of Navrattan Group of Companies. The vehicle is currently being tested and will soon be seen on Indian roads.

Indeed, it is the efforts of visionary entrepreneurs like Himansh Verma that help strengthen India’s stature as a nation leading the charge towards sustainable development.