'Smart' is the way forward at Birla White YuvaRatna Awards

1st April, 2016

Mumbai, 15th March, 2016

Birla White, the white cement brand of UltraTech Cement, today held the 12th edition of Birla White YuvaRatna awards at Hotel JW Mariott, Mumbai. The YuvaRatna Awards, an annual event for architects and engineers of tomorrow, has support from apex institutions of architecture and civil engineering, and draws enormous participation from across India.

The event was inaugurated by Mrs Rajashree Birla, Director, UltraTech Cement Ltd, in the presence of eminent architects and construction professionals from across India. The elite panel of jury members for the Awards comprised leading architects including Ar. Avachat Vasant, Ar. Avinash Dahanukar, and Ar. N. Ramaswamy.

This year's theme was 'Smart – Existence, Environment, Economy'. Architecture students of the third and fourth year used these three pillars to design a smart residential neighbourhood as a prototype model for the sustainable living environment of Indian cities. The key factor was to make the neighborhood 'smart' through effectively designed spaces as well as keeping it eco-friendly and sustainable. For first and second year students, the theme was to design a community centre for the smart residential neighbourhood where members may gather for social, educational and cultural activities. Kochi was identified as the site for the design challenge, so that all students work on the same site plan.

"New thoughts lead to new dreams. And new dreams will build a new India. Through YuvaRatna Awards, Birla White wants to inspire architects to think out-of-the-box and create new designs that are beautiful and smart. Their ideas would help build smart cities that become the pride of a new India in the days to come," says Mr Rahul Mohnot, CEO, Birla White.

"The 12th edition of Birla White YuvaRatna Awards is based on smart designs from smart generation of today's architecture students. The theme this year on Smart Cities is an appropriate topic in today's times, and includes designing spaces for an eco-friendly and sustainable living environment for our country," says Mr Anurag Angrish, Jt. President – Marketing, Birla White.

This year witnessed 640 drawings from 57 Institutes across India. The entries from 5 regional zones were shortlisted and then judged at the national level by our elite panel of jury members to shortlist the national winners.

"Smart City Plan and Design – which is the current theme of the YuvaRatna Awards, is both timely, and much needed. The smart neighbourhoods as envisaged by the students are indeed transformative. I hope these blueprints translate into actual smart neighbourhoods – and these then would be a paradise on earth for citizens," says Mrs Rajashree Birla, director, UltraTech Cement Ltd.

"Birla White YuvaRatna Awards has always promoted sustainability as the core focus across its themes over the years. This year, we have taken the next leap to being smart sustainable. Birla White as a brand encourages architects to build their dream projects, both sustainably and smartly," says Mr O P Puranmalka, managing director, UltraTech Cement Ltd.