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Our natural world is facing some massive hurdles right now, from wild weather shifts to rampant pollution. In this grim situation, Times Internet Ecopreneur Awards encourage and celebrate the people and businesses rolling up their sleeves to actually fix things. It’s a platform designed to shine a spotlight on those who mix innovation with a genuine love for the planet, helping to build a greener, more sustainable India. At its core, this award is about mixing fresh ideas with a real care for the planet. It proves that you can make a profit while still doing the right thing.

At the Times Internet Ecopreneur Awards 2025 , Pradeep Sangwan , the driving force behind Healing Himalayas , really stole the show. His relentless battle against plastic waste up in the mountains has inspired thousands of people across the country.
From Haryana to the HimalayasGrowing up in a household in Jhojhu Kalan, a rural village in Haryana, Sangwan initially wanted to join the Indian Army. He even attended the Rashtriya Military School in Ajmer hoping to follow in his father's footsteps. But when he didn't make the cut for the National Defence Academy, his life took a totally different turn.

He moved to Chandigarh to study at DAV College, where he became friends with a few from Himachal Pradesh. That was his first real interaction with the mountains. By 2009, he had completely uprooted and moved out to the Himalayas. While trekking through incredibly harsh and remote trails, he was amazed by how the local Gaddi shepherds lived so sustainably and harmoniously with nature. But there was an ugly side, too. He noticed a growing trail of plastic dumped by careless tourists and campers, that was quietly choking the ecosystem there.

One man clean-up mission Sangwan just couldn’t sit back and watch it happen. In 2016, he launched Healing Himalayas. It started as a completely solo gig. He’d just walk around Sethan Dome and the Hampta Pass near Manali on his own, picking up other people's discarded bottles and wrappers.

Today, the charity has organised over 1,000 community clean-ups, dragging more than 1,600 tonnes of non-biodegradable waste off the slopes. They now operate across major districts like Kullu-Manali, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Chamba.
His work started getting recognised. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised his efforts twice on his Mann Ki Baat radio programme, effectively pushing the issue of mountain waste onto the national stage. Winning the 2025 Times Ecopreneur Award added one more to his bag. The judges weren't merely impressed by the sheer weight of the plastic he's hauled down the mountains; they commended the solid, lasting waste-management systems he’s managed to build in some seriously isolated spots.

Why the Times Internet Ecopreneur Award mattersis all about appreciating the minds solving our toughest environmental nightmares. Whether it’s local conservation, sorting out waste, or pushing big corporate shifts, the platform celebrates those who turn brilliant ideas into real-world results.

As environmental concerns continue to grow, platforms such as the Times Internet Ecopreneur Awards play an important role in recognising and amplifying the people working tirelessly to protect the planet.
This year also Times Internet Ecopreneur Award has come back to award more such businesses, individuals and institutions that are working hard to bring change in the environment. By bringing experts in environmental advocacy, this award aims to ensure that the deserving green leaders get their due recognition.

To nominate yourself or your organisation for the award,