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.

New Plastic Packaging Laws in India: What You Need to Know

Let’s start with a fact that should worry all of us: India generates over 9 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, enough to fill every football stadium in the country, several times over. But

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Could Cheese Waste Be The Solution To The Plastic Packaging Crisis?

Forbes News: The Future Of Taking Plastic Alternatives From Lab To Market: Policy is shifting rapidly, with many countries implementing restrictions on single-use plastic. Meanwhile, governments are introducing clearer standards for compostability and biodegradability. Brewer

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The Plastic in Your Prasad: A Truth Too Ugly to Ignore

The temple air is thick with incense and devotion. Chants echo off ancient walls as flowers cascade from folded hands. Yet among the sacred offerings, plastic wrappers, bottles and bags create their own unwelcome shrine.

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One of the most harmful single-use plastics serves no essential purpose

Independent News: Cigarette butts are the single most littered item on the planet, with an estimated 4.5 trillion discarded each year Beyond the health deception, cigarette filters create an environmental disaster. They’re made of a

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What Happens to Your Plastic After Delhi’s Waste Collectors Pick It Up?

In Delhi and NCR, WWTPs are significant conduits for microplastic release because microscopic fragments pass through conventional treatment. 

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The Next Quit India Movement is Against Plastic. And It Starts With You

15 August 1942. 15 August 2025. Two very different days.One very similar fight. In 1942, the Quit India Movement wasn’t only about resisting. It was about reclaiming. A nation came together to reject what was

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The Global Plastics Treaty Could Change Everything (If We Don’t Mess It Up This Time)

460 million metric tons of plastic produced every single year. From Mount Everest to ocean trenches, plastic has become the uninvited guest that just won’t leave the party.

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UKHI Partners with DCGpac to Accelerate Sustainable Packaging Across India

Strategic Alliance Brings Revolutionary EcoGran™ Biopolymers to National Market Through India’s Leading B2B Packaging Platform

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The Great PFAS Escape: Why Your Pizza Box Might Be Plotting Against You

TLDR: Those shiny food wrappers aren’t just keeping your fries crispy. They’re harboring some seriously unwelcome guests.

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The $90 Billion Question: Why EcoGran is Having Its Moment

When the world’s biggest problem becomes your biggest opportunity. The Market That Moved Mountains Here’s something interesting: The global bioplastics market just went from $12.9 billion in 2023 to a projected $90.3 billion by 2032—a

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