The Adani Corporate House (ACH) auditorium in Shantigram, Ahmedabad, buzzed with energy on 25 Sep as Green Talks 2025 unfolded. This year, the stage became a confluence of visionary voices — Chairman Gautam Adani, Dr Krishna Ella, Vikrant Massey and five trailblazing entrepreneurs — each narrating stories of courage, ingenuity and patriotic entrepreneurship.

Chairman Adani opened with a keynote that set hearts alight. He reminded the audience — every green shoot carries the voice of revolution. Green Talks, he said, is not about profits but possibility: the belief that a single bold idea can ripple outward and transform society. He recalled GenRobotics, liberating thousands from manual scavenging; Navalt, redefining marine transport with solar ferries; and Marut Drones, where the “Drone Didis of Kashi” turned technology into dignity and livelihood. His call was clear: India’s Second Freedom Struggle is here — for independence in technology, social progress and opportunity for all.

Padma Vibhushan and co-founder and Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech Dr Krishna Ella, recipient of the inaugural Lok Kalyan Award, echoed this vision. In his acceptance speech, he looked beyond his own achievements with Covaxin, India’s indigenous Covid-19 vaccine. “This honour belongs to every Indian scientist who works quietly in the service of our people,” he said. “Covaxin was not just a vaccine. It was India standing tall when the world was in despair. Platforms like Green Talks remind us that entrepreneurship must be guided by what strengthens the nation and secures the future of our children.”

His words transformed innovation into a patriotic mission, affirming that courage and purpose are inseparable in nation-building.

The evening’s third voice came from the world of cinema yet spoken in the same language of grit and determination. Massey, who won the National Award for Best Actor for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, a film that epitomises resilience, shared his admiration for the start-up entrepreneurs honoured on stage. “Resilience is about breaking through barriers,” he said, drawing parallels between his own journey and theirs. “What I see here is legacy in action — a vision that measures success not by profit, but by purpose. Mr Adani’s philosophy is one of building for the nation, for its people, for generations to come. That is what makes him a true nation-builder.”

His voice carried the same grit, determination, and hope that define the country’s rising generation of changemakers.

The spotlight then turned to five extraordinary start-ups:

Akshita Sachdeva, Co-Founder of Trestle Labs, whose AI-powered assistive glove gives the visually impaired real-time access to printed, handwritten, and digital content. “Every blind child deserves the right to read, to dream, to belong,” she said.

Abhishek Chazed, Co-Founder of Recyclex, whose start-up has transformed industrial and plastic waste into eco-bricks. His venture saves water and reduces carbon emissions. “Imagine a Bharat built on waste — strong, sustainable, self-reliant,” he said.

Manoj Sanker, Founder of NemoCare, is the creator of wireless neonatal monitors. He enables early detection of life-threatening conditions in newborns. “Every mother deserves hope. Every baby deserves a chance,” he said.

Sowmya Balendiran, Co-Founder of Sea6 Energy, is busy harnessing seaweed to produce biofuels. Her work charts a path to energy independence. “Our oceans can power India sustainably. This is India’s energy freedom,” she said.

Jenil Gandhi, Co-Founder of Avinya Leather, is upcycling agricultural waste into vegan leather. Avinya, which means innovation, provides ethical livelihoods and combats pollution. “When we wear Avinya, we wear India’s conscience,” he said.

As the event drew to a close, the message resonated with clarity: Green Talks 2025 is more than a stage. It is a movement — where innovation meets patriotism, enterprise meets service, and courage, vision and purpose spark India’s Second Freedom Struggle.