Awards

GOLDEN PEACOCK ECO INNOVATION AWARD

Awarded to Exnora Pepsico Zero Waste Center Pammal.
Award recieved by Mrs. Mangalam Balasubramaniam - Exnora International, Mr. Karunanidhi Chairman Pammal Municipality & Mr. Thiyagarajan - Pepsico on January 13th 2007 at Hotel Sonar Bangala Sheraton Towers, Kolkata. Awarding Body - Institute of Directors - India & World Council for Corporate Governance - UK. Jointly for the World Environment Foundation.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD PRESENTED TO MRS.SULOCHANA RAMASESHAN, PRESIDENT, EXNORA INTERNATIONAL BY AMERICAN CONSUL GENERAL. TO THE EXTREME RIGHT IS MR.M.B.NIRMAL, FOUNDER, EXNORA INTERNATIONAL AND TO THE EXTREME LEFT IS MR.T.K.RAMKUMAR, ADVISOR, EXNORA INTERNATIONAL

Date of Award	Awarding Body	Name of Award
November 2005	United States - Asia Environmental Partnership	Environmental Leadership Award
2002 - 2003	Tamil Nadu Government	Best Environmental Service Organisation. Presented by Honorable Minister for Environment.
June 1996	UNCHS Habitat - United Nations Center for Human Settlements.	Best Practices Award.

Recognition

• Indian Express wrote in their issue dated 26th April, 1992 "Exnora must be the fastest growing service organization in the world".
• Economic Times wrote in its issue dated 9th October 1994, "Exnora's concept has become the blue print for people's participation in urban - clean -up".
• INDIA TODAY 31 October, 1994, - "Civic Exnora is an example of what people can do if they want to help themselves. Exnora has transformed Navalar Nagar, one of the dirtiest slums on the banks of the Buckingham Canal into a showpiece. The low-lying part, on level with the canal has also been raised with rubble and a park designed on it. Sixty volunteers now sweep the roads and maintain plants in the colony.
• THE HINDU- February 11th , 2001 - Exnora has revolutionized the application of community hygiene and environment protection practices. It has received numerous awards, Nirmal has attended international seminars to share his experiences. The enormous success of Exnora is probably due to his single minded determination and unswerving focus. "We are all human beings and I believe that we should live in dignity" Nirmal said. That is what Exnora is about.
• THE HINDU January 18th, 2001- Article on Exnora titled, "Why Waste Waste?" "Garbage, Rubbish, Trash, Waste and even Junk - These have not just become improper nouns but derogatory adjectives as well. All that smelly stuff usually has us turning our noses up and our eyes away. Instead let us look towards Solid Waste Management which tells us that the garbage we are disposing off, piling up in our landfills, leaving to mix with our water supply and subsoil ecosystem, burning and polluting is actually encashable wealth. If that sounds unbelievable we only have to look at what a committed band of volunteers have accomplished to realize that there is only one thing we really need to throw away - our apathy".
• The Hindu 10th February 1995 - "The Founder of Exnora International and its diverse wings is a person who has taken the plunge straight into the heart of urban ills, the dirt and ugliness and Civic problems and come up trumps. Nirmal's unpretentious façade hides enormous initiative and drive which kindles dormant wills to constructive use. He has helped set the huge ball of awareness and collective responsibility rolling and promises it will carry away with it the filth and maladies plaguing both cities and villages. Within six years since Exnora was started, the voluntary service organization has become a distinct presence not only in Madras but also in various other cities gathering into itself human resources and potential of those belonging to all age groups and social strata".
• Bharath Ratna Late Mr. C Subramaniam - Former Governor of Maharastra and President Bhavan's Journal in the editorial of the magazine, Bhavan's Journal dated December 31st, 1993 wrote, "I had the privilege of participating in a function organized by the Exnora School movement. I was greatly struck by the large number of people belonging to various sections of the community present on the occasion. There were the teachers, industrialists, high level management experts, lawyers, doctors etc. They were all actively associated with the movement. Politicians were scrupulously avoided. Exnora has started extending its activities to other cities also. Here was a demonstration of what well managed and properly motivated voluntary agencies can achieve to tackle many of the problems which we as a nation are facing. The motto of Exnora is Think Globally, Act Locally and Do Domestically. There is still hope for India".