Odisha’s Lok Bhavan has made history as the country’s first Governor House to earn Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum certification under its Green Campus Rating System, marking a major milestone in sustainable, environment-friendly infrastructure, an official statement said on Tuesday.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati received the certification from IGBC National Chairman C Sekhar Reddy during a ceremony at the New Abhishek Hall in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The Lok Bhavan campus scored 88 out of 100 points, placing it in the highest category of the IGBC rating system.
“Odisha’s Lok Bhavan becomes India’s first Lok Bhavan to be certified green and Platinum and also the first ever Platinum Rated campus under the revised and stringent IGBC Green Campus v1 rating system (launched July 2024). It is also the First Lok Bhavan in the country to adopt an all-electric official carcade,” the Governor’s House said in a statement.
A landmark achievement for Odisha’s Green Governance journey.
Received the IGBC Green Campus Rating – Platinum from Shri C. Sekhar Reddy, National Chairman, Indian Green Building Council, recognising Lok Bhavan as India’s first Lok Bhavan to receive the prestigious certification… pic.twitter.com/LnhN1chI7L
— Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati (@DrHariBabuK) September 1, 2026
Addressing reporters, Kambhampati called the recognition a proud moment for Odisha, noting that the certification reflects concerted efforts to transform the Lok Bhavan into a green campus.
“The certification recognises the green cover, clean energy generation and use of electric vehicles, among other initiatives. Whatever steps were suggested were taken up by Lok Bhavan, and ultimately we achieved the highest rating,” the governor said.
Kambhampati shared plans to present the certificate to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his next visit to New Delhi, expressing hope that the achievement will motivate other public institutions to seek green certification.
Taking the message beyond Lok Bhavan, the Governor urged universities throughout Odisha to pursue green certifications, pointing out that graduating students could serve as powerful ambassadors for environmental protection.
Thousands of students pass through university campuses every year and could become ambassadors of environmental protection, he said.
Highlighting the campus’s renewable energy achievements, Kambhampati noted that Lok Bhavan currently operates a 635 kWp solar setup, while calling on households and organizations to embrace rooftop solar solutions.
“Germany has around 100 sunny days, yet it harnesses solar power. We have around 300 sunny days. If we do not harness this power, it will be a crime,” he said.
As part of its green transition, the Raj Bhavan complex has adopted an all-electric official carcade.
Building on these solar achievements, Lok Bhavan plans to integrate small-scale wind turbines on the grounds to further diversify its clean power generation.
The Governor said that green initiatives will soon extend to the Raj Bhavan campus in Puri, beginning with a proposed 100-kW solar installation aimed at securing green certification there as well.
These state-level projects, Kambhampati added, mirror a broader nationwide movement toward renewable resources like solar and wind power.
Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan commended the Governor’s environmental vision, noting that Lok Bhavan’s transformation will inspire future government infrastructure projects to prioritize green design.
The event was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary (Forest, Environment, and Climate Change) Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Secretary to the Governor Dr. Roopa Roshan Sahoo, university vice-chancellors, and senior IGBC officials.
