New Delhi, September 04, 2025: IMI Delhi, in collaboration with BML Munjal University and supported by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), hosted the National Conference on “Circular Futures: Innovative Strategies for E-Waste Management and Resource Recovery.” The conference, aligned with Vision Viksit Bharat@2047, brought together leading voices from academia, industry, and policy to chart India’s path toward a circular economy.
Speakers included Mr. Mandeep Manocha, Co-Founder & CEO of Cashify, Mr. Mayank Sinha, Head of Marketing & D2C Business at Attero Recycling, Mr. Sahil Jain, Principal Enterprise Architect at Adobe, Ms. Harpreet Kaur Ghai, Vice President at Aspire Impact, and Dr. Ruchi Garg, Associate Professor at BML University.
The event drew significant international participation, with over 55 research papers submitted from Campbellsville University (US), Vietnam National University, University of Delhi, IGNOU, NITs, and leading management institutes across India. Research topics covered behavioural and social aspects of e-waste handling, digital technologies for monitoring e-waste, and technological innovations in recycling.
A key highlight was the panel discussion on “Towards a Circular India: The Future of E-Waste Management,” moderated by Dr. Pinaki Dasgupta, Professor at IMI Delhi. Mr. Mandeep Manocha (Cashify) observed that most e-waste lies unused in households, stressing the need to build consumer trust in recycling systems. Mr. Mayank Sinha (Attero Recycling) emphasized, “India’s e-waste challenge can only be solved by scaling formal recycling systems. With efficiency levels close to 98%, formal operations present a massive opportunity to turn environmental challenges into economic value.”
Mr. Sahil Jain (Adobe) advocated for the use of digital passports and AI-driven models to enhance traceability, while Ms. Harpreet Kaur Ghai (Aspire Impact) noted that e-waste can be transformed into wealth with strong ESG frameworks. Dr. Nitika Sharma, Assistant Professor at IMI Delhi and Convenor of the conference, added that e-waste is not just a technical issue but a societal challenge, underscoring the need to reimagine waste as wealth and embed circularity into India’s growth journey.
The discussions highlighted key challenges and opportunities, including the fact that 85% of devices remain unused at home, the informal sector manages 60% of e-waste inefficiently, while the formal sector, though limited, achieves nearly total efficiency. Recommendations from the conference included expanding formal recycling capacity, adopting AI- and blockchain-enabled tracking, encouraging consumer repair and reuse, fostering green entrepreneurship, and strengthening policies such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Right to Repair.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Himadri Das, Director General, IMI, stated, “The days of the linear economy are long gone. To build a sustainable future, we must redesign our systems to minimize waste and promote recycling. Moving from ‘take, make, dispose’ to a circular economy is no longer a choice; it is an imperative. IMI Delhi is proud to contribute thought leadership on this front.”
IMI Delhi, India’s first corporate-sponsored business school, emphasized its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and responsible leadership through this initiative, positioning the conference as a platform for advancing circular economy solutions and sustainable development.
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