Nagpur :- Last year, the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova commissioned IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to conduct a pre-feasibility study for establishing a Sweden-India Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Sustainable Cities. The study was led by Rupali Deshmukh (Karangale), a native of Nagpur now based in Sweden, who serves as Country Manager for India and CEO of IVL India.
Following strong interest from stakeholders in both countries—spanning academia, government, municipalities, and industry—IVL has now been tasked with a detailed feasibility study focusing on water, wastewater, sludge, and energy.
Rupali visited Nagpur on May 27–28, 2025, for meetings with key stakeholders including NEERI, IIM Nagpur, VNIT, Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Dr. Abhijeet Chaudhari, and the Association for Industrial Development. She was accompanied by His Excellency Sven Östberg, Consul General of Sweden.
Rupali reported enthusiastic support from NEERI, IIM Nagpur, and VNIT, all of whom expressed willingness to host the proposed CoE and collaborate on research and technology development. Local industry representatives and the Municipal Commissioner also voiced their support for bringing the CoE to Nagpur.
“Leveraging Swedish innovation and technology, we aim to co-create scalable solutions in water, waste, and energy management—solutions that can serve as a model for cities across India,” said Rupali. “Nagpur’s proactive approach makes it an ideal partner.”
Consul General Östberg added, “This is my first visit to Nagpur and I’m deeply impressed by its history, academic excellence, and economic potential. The city is on the brink of great things.”
Commissioner Chaudhari and Rupalu both emphasized that the proposed CoE could play a vital role in restoring the Nag River by introducing advanced Swedish technologies in wastewater treatment and ecological rejuvenation. The CoE would support pilot projects, capacity building, and real-time monitoring while strengthening India-Sweden collaboration in sustainable urban development.
