India, Jan. 12 -- Sustainability has steadily shifted from a peripheral concern to a central question confronting Indian universities. What was once discussed largely in policy documents, environmental science classrooms, or ceremonial speeches is now influencing how campuses are designed, how academic programs are structured, and how institutions understand their public role. This transition is neither accidental nor purely aspirational. It is unfolding in response to mounting environmental pressures, resource constraints, and growing societal expectations that universities must lead by example.

Indian universities occupy a distinctive position in this debate. They are large consumers of energy and water, custodians of extensive land re...