Sania Mirza at WWF India Earth Hour 2015 Press Meet

Sania Mirza joins hands with WWF-India for Earth Hour 2015; encourages citizens to adopt environmental friendly practices

Hyderabad, 5 March 2015: Ace tennis player Sania Mirza has joined hands with WWF-India to pledge her support to Earth Hour 2015 - WWF’s global campaign to raise awareness and inspire individual action on climate change. The announcement was made at a press conference at the Taj Krishna, the hospitality partner for Hyderabad in association with Kalamandir Foundation. While interacting with the audiences, Sania Mirza spoke about her association with the cause and invited citizens of the city to come forward and show their support for the campaign. Earth Hour which is the largest environmental campaign in history, enables individuals, organizations, governments and groups to showcase their support towards policies and practices that balance development and environmental concerns.

This year, the theme of the Earth Hour is “India Unplugged”, which not only calls out to people to switch off, but also encourages citizens across the country to explore and adopt a cleaner and more sustainable lifestyle by embracing renewable energy solutions.

Seven years in the running, the Earth Hour campaign calls for:
• Individuals to adopt household products powered by renewable energy;
• Corporates to adopt renewable energy solutions for running their business operations and production processes;
• Governments to promote policies that are favorable towards the production and uptake of renewable energy

Reinforcing her support for this cause at the conference, Sania Mirza said, “The global crisis of climate change can be addressed only through collective action and the adoption of a sustainable way of life. Earth Hour provides the perfect platform to mobilize people empowering them to contribute to the planet in their individual capacity. I am extremely proud to be associated with this prestigious campaign and would encourage others to extend their support towards Earth Hour. ”

Speaking about the campaign, Mr Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India said, "Earth Hour brings together people across the globe to express their concern over the global crisis of climate change. In India, the campaign spans more than 150 cities, providing a platform to create awareness on renewable energy amongst individuals, corporate entities and decision-makers, while influencing behavior, opinions and policy to help mitigate the effects of climate change. The campaign’s messaging and open-source model encourages participation through the symbolic switch off and leads people to adopt sustainable practices in order to conserve the finite resources of our planet. This year, Earth Hour hopes to reach out to a much larger number of people than before to promote the benefits of renewable energy."

Taj Krishna, this year’s hospitality partner for Earth Hour, part of one of Asia’s largest hotel groups, is also committed towards energy conservation and environmental management. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sarabjeet Singh, Director Operations, TajGVK Hotels & Resorts and General Manager, Taj Krishna said, “Taj Krishna has always been proactive in adopting green initiatives and observing Earth Hour is just a reaffirmation that we care for our environment and the world we inhabit. ” The Taj Krishna.

Talking about Kalamandir Foundation’s association with Earth Hour 2015, Mr Kalyan said, "It is an honour for us to support a global campaign like Earth Hour once again. We are happy to partner with WWF and look forward to an enriching association. ”
This year, Pedal for the Planet, a cyclothon is also being organized in Hyderabad on 28 March 2015 by WWF-India, in association with the Hyderabad Bicycling Club.

About WWF-India and Earth Hour
WWF-India is one of India’s leading conservation organizations with programmes and projects spread across the country. The organization works towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural habitats and the reduction of humanity’s ecological footprint. The mission of WWF-India is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Earth Hour is WWF’s global initiative and the largest environmental campaign in history where citizens around the world show their support for action on climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour, between 8:30pm-9:30pm. This year Earth Hour is scheduled for 28 March 2015 between 8:30pm and 9:30pm. Being implemented in India since 2009, the Earth Hour campaign has inspired individuals, governments and corporations to move towards responsible consumption and conservation of energy. It has received unprecedented support, demonstrated by participation in over 150 towns and cities by several city governments, the armed forces, public and private sector companies, celebrities and individuals. The Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Prime Minister’s residence, residences of Chief Ministers and government buildings in every participating city have turned off lights every year, as a symbolic show of support.

About Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces
Established in 1901, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of Asia's largest and finest group of hotels, comprising 111 hotels in 64 locations across India with an additional 15 international hotels in the Maldives, Malaysia, UK, USA, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. From world-renowned landmarks to modern business hotels, idyllic beach resorts to authentic Grand Palaces, each Taj hotel offers an unrivalled fusion of warm Indian hospitality, world-class service and modern luxury. For over a century, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, the iconic flagship has set a benchmark for fine living with exquisite refinement, inventiveness and warmth. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of the Tata Group, India's premier business house.