IIT Kanpur’s sustainability project featured in Guinness World Records for massive e-bike drive

IIT Kanpur has been recognized by Guinness World Records for its role in the Largest Electric Bicycle Delivery, a record-setting initiative aimed at advancing sustainable mobility in India.

The achievement was recorded as part of the E-Cycle program, a large-scale electric bicycle distribution drive implemented in partnership with EMotorad, the Kuppam Area Development Authority, the Chittoor District Collectorate, and the Andhra Pradesh government.

The distribution event was carried out in the Kuppam constituency and organized by the state government through KADA. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu formally handed over the Guinness World Records certificate during the event.

IIT Kanpur contributed as the technical partner through its Kuppam Net Zero Constituency Project, providing planning inputs and technical guidance to support execution of the program.

The initiative was designed to encourage low-carbon mobility and promote sustainable transport solutions for local use.

Two IIT Kanpur alumni were centrally involved in coordinating the project. Hari Shankar, consultant to the Net Zero Constituency Project, and Vikas Marmat, Project Director at KADA, worked closely on planning and implementation.

The institute was represented at the event by the project’s principal investigators, Manoj K Tiwari and Rajeev Jindal.

IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal said the recognition reflected the institute’s long-standing focus on sustainability and public-oriented innovation.

He said the Kuppam initiative demonstrated how academic expertise, policy backing, and administrative coordination can work together to create measurable impact.

Prof Tiwari and Prof Jindal said the Guinness World Records acknowledgment marked a significant milestone in IIT Kanpur’s sustainability-focused efforts and credited the institute’s leadership and partner organizations for enabling large-scale collaboration.

Officials associated with the project said the record strengthens ongoing efforts in Kuppam to promote clean transportation and reduce local carbon emissions.

They added that electric bicycles provide an affordable and practical option for short-distance travel while lowering dependence on fossil fuels.