Author: Vishal Vivek

Vishal Vivek, CEO & Co-Founder of UKHI, is a sustainability entrepreneur and the former founder of Hemp Foundation, where he empowered 1,000+ farmers through 100+ SHG workshops. An MIT Bootcamp and Stanford Spark-Seed alumnus, his work—honored with the HDFC Parivartan Award—combines sustainable agriculture, innovation, and business strategy to drive both economic empowerment and environmental change. Vishal Vivek is the Founder and CEO of Ukhi, a pioneering bio-materials company dedicated to ending plastic pollution by converting agricultural waste into high-performance compostable polymers. With a background in sustainable entrepreneurship and over a decade of technology experience, he leads Ukhi’s vision to create scalable, planet-positive material solutions. Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered more than 1,000 farmers and advanced sustainable livelihood initiatives. His work has been recognized through awards such as the HDFC Parivartan Grant and featured in leading publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur. Times Group recognized him as a legendary entrepreneur and published his biography in “I Did IT- Vol 2” alongside social pioneers like Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) and Anshu Gupta (Goonj). Vishal has authored more than 200 articles on sustainability and hemp, reflecting his deep expertise and advocacy for regenerative solutions. His commitment to grassroots impact led him to live in the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, where he immersed himself in the lives of marginal farmers, understanding their challenges and co-creating economic opportunities through hemp-based initiatives. A deeply passionate innovator, Vishal often draws inspiration from seemingly impossible achievements: “If Elon Musk can make rockets reusable, or Dashrath Manjhi can carve a path through a mountain with rudimentary tools, why can’t we eliminate the demon of single-use plastic while uplifting struggling farmers? We will make it happen—whatever it takes.” Ukhi is proud to be supported by premier institutions including IIT Guwahati, NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR Pusa), and the Indian Institute of Packaging. Vishal is committed to demonstrating that business can be a powerful catalyst for global environmental and social good.

Why the World is Divided Over PLA

In the past few years, PLA (Polylactic Acid) has become the face of “eco-friendly plastics.”  It is everywhere now — in compostable cups, takeaway boxes, and even 3D printing materials.  It is marketed as biodegradable,

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Carbon Footprint of Various Types of Bioplastic & Conventional Polymer

There’s a lot of optimism around bioplastics today, and for good reason. Studies show that using bioplastics can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25% compared to fossil-based plastics. It sounds like a simple

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A Compilation of Commonly Asked Questions related to Bioplastic, PBAT, PLA, PHA, PVA

Bioplastic is a broad term for a family of plastic materials. To be called a bioplastic, it has to meet one or both of the following criteria: Crucially, bio-based does not always mean biodegradable.  Here

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The Need For A Bioplastic Policy in India

I bumped into a surprising analysis last week.  India has banned many categories of single-use plastic items in 2022. But it currently imports more than 80% of its bioplastic raw material requirements.  That’s a huge

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U.S. Plastic Laws: State-by-State Guide for 2025

Perhaps you’re already aware that America faces a serious plastic waste challenge. But how serious is it? Every year, the country generates more than 35 million tons of plastic waste. Yet less than 10% of

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Single-Use Plastic Ban in USA: 2026 Update

Nearly every American uses single-use plastics daily without a second thought.  From the morning coffee run to one’s snack before heading home, disposable plastic is there close by, and soon enough it goes into the

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Comparative life cycle assessment of PBAT and Bio-PBAT

Plastics have given us the convenience of affordable packaging. Yet the very strength that makes them useful is also their biggest flaw. They don’t disappear when discarded.  The search now is to find new materials

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From IT to Atoms: Ukhi Founder Shares Entrepreneurial Journey with India’s New MSME Officers

It was a distinct honor for the founder of Ukhi to be invited by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) as a Guest Speaker. He addressed the newly inducted officers of the

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Bioplastics 101: What Are Bioplastics and How Are They Made?

Before I talk of bioplastics, a word on plastics.  Every year we produce 450 million tons.  This number was just 2 million tons, in the 1950s.  Source Plastic became popular because it is cheap, convenient,

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Plastic Waste Management: Latest Rules in India (2025/2026)

If you buy anything in plastic today, there’s a good chance you’ll spot a new detail—a small QR code or barcode right on the wrapper. Since July 2025, this simple mark a requirement under India’s

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