As part of its ongoing sustainability awareness initiative, supported by Nagarro, Gurgaon First Foundation (GFF)conducted an interactive sustainability workshop at Summer Fields School, DLF Phase I, Gurugram, on July 16, 2026, engaging nearly 200 students from Grades VI, VII and VIII.

The workshop was led by Shubhra Puri, Founder, Gurgaon First Foundation, along with sustainability trainers Sangeeta Nayyar, Waste Warrior and Trustee, Aravalli Bachao Citizen Movement; Kakkasha Makrani from Raahgiri Foundation; and Aayush Dasgupta.

Held under the theme “Ancient Wisdom and Sustainability,” the workshop encouraged students to reflect on how traditional societies lived in harmony with nature and how many of their practices remain relevant in addressing today’s environmental challenges. The session explored how ancient communities harvested rainwater, protected forests, minimised waste, reused wastewater, and adopted lifestyles based on the sustainable use of natural resources. Students were encouraged to compare these practices with modern patterns of consumption and urbanisation and to understand how unchecked development has contributed to challenges such as pollution, traffic congestion, climate change, groundwater depletion, biodiversity loss, and desertification, adversely affecting both ecosystems and human well-being.

Through an engaging multimedia presentation, students also explored Gurugram’s most pressing sustainability issues, including water conservation, waste management, climate change, air pollution, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Interactive videos, quizzes and discussions encouraged active participation and helped students connect these global challenges with their own lives and communities.

The workshop also introduced students to the rapidly expanding field of sustainability careers, demonstrating how professionals today are contributing to solutions in areas such as renewable energy, environmental management, urban planning, climate action and the circular economy. Students learnt that meaningful change begins with individual action and that simple, everyday choices can collectively make a significant difference in building a greener and more sustainable future.

At the end of the session, students pledged to remain actively engaged in sustainability initiatives within their homes, schools and neighbourhoods, recognising that awareness must be accompanied by action to create lasting environmental change.

The workshop forms part of Gurgaon First Foundation’s six-month sustainability awareness programme, supported by Nagarro, under which a series of workshops is being conducted across schools in Gurugram between July and December 2026. The initiative aims to nurture environmentally responsible behaviour among young citizens, encourage community participation, and inspire students to become sustainability ambassadors in their schools and communities.

Ms Poonam Anand, Coordinator and Science Teacher, Summer Fields School, appreciated the initiative and said that such workshops complement classroom learning by helping students relate concepts taught in textbooks to real-world environmental challenges. She noted that these interactive sessions encourage critical thinking, strengthen environmental awareness, and help shape informed opinions on issues that will define the future of the planet.