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Champions of Change: Empowering Bamboo for a better Future 

Dedicated volunteers steer the World Bamboo Organization. The Ambassadors work independently but are connected as a team, and we collaborate to expand the potential of our actions and our mission.

Neelam Manjunath

India

Architecture and Building

Neelam Manjunath is an accomplished architect, author, planner, scientist, activist, and theoretician with a career spanning over three decades. Practicing since 1991, she is known for her pioneering work in sustainable architecture, with a special emphasis on bamboo as a building material. Her projects reflect a deep commitment to eco-friendly design, and her work has been published extensively and presented at numerous national and international forums. Neelam is also the CEO and founder of the Centre for Green Building Materials and Technology (CGBMT) in Bangalore, where she has been driving research, development, and training in bamboo applications since 1999.

Throughout her career, Neelam has delivered close to 175 lectures and paper presentations, conducted 75 national and international workshops, and participated in several high-profile exhibitions, including the prestigious International Architectural Venice Biennale in 2016. She has also been instrumental in developing structured courses on bamboo technology, offering programs from certificate to postgraduate levels since 2011. Her contributions to the field have garnered widespread recognition, and her projects have been featured in more than 20 countries across over 10 languages.

In addition to her architectural practice, Neelam holds several key leadership roles. She is the Propritrix of Manasaram Architects and CEO of CGBMT-School of Simple Living. Neelam is also an advisor on sustainability and bamboo affairs at Dayalbagh University in Agra and serves as a World Bamboo Ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization. Her expertise in bamboo construction has made her a key figure on various technical committees, including the INBAR Bamboo Construction Task Force and the Niti Ayog Sub-Working Group on Bamboo Construction.

Neelam’s innovative work has been recognized with numerous national and international awards. Some of her notable accolades include the Sir M Vishwesvaraya Prize, the IIA-Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Award, the World Architecture Community Awards, and a nomination for the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture for her project "Bamboo Symphony." She also won the ARCASIA Gold Award and the WADe Asia Sustainability Champion title in 2017.

Neelam Manjunath's work continues to inspire the global architecture community, especially in the field of sustainable design, where bamboo plays a central role in her vision for environmentally responsible architecture.