Mumbai – After a remarkable success in the first season, ET Now, in association with DuPont, is back with another compelling season of the show, The Power of Shunya: Challenge for Zero. Popular TV host, Gaurav Kapoor will anchor the 10 thrilling episodes of the show. ET Now will broadcast the show on July 5, at 4.30pm and July 6, at 11.30am and 6pm, featuring the special curtain raiser episode followed by eight episodes of preliminary competition rounds and a grand finale in the tenth episode.
The show urges best minds from science, technology and business schools to come together to showcase ground-breaking innovations and go-to-market strategies across key sectors like food, agriculture, nutrition, health, energy, mobility, infrastructure, safety & sustainability. It will endeavour a country with zero hunger, zero malnutrition, zero accidents, zero lives lost and zero carbon footprint.
In each of the eight preliminary competition rounds, two teams of two students will include engineering and a business student. The team adjudged first will be placed on a leader board while the second team will be eliminated. After all the 16 teams are evaluated by the panel, the jury will select two finalists from the leader board that will decide top two to compete in the grand finale round.
Speaking on the launch of the series, MK Anand, MD & CEO – Times Television Network said: “I am delighted to announce the launch of the second edition of The Power of Shunya – Challenge for Zero. This unique series gives an opportunity to the young minds of India to bring some path-breaking ideas that can help in the sustainable development of the country. Times Television Network is committed to offer differentiated content to its audiences. This series offers viewers unique content in a slick format with an international appeal.”
The contestant’s innovation will be judged upon the product’s tangibility, functionality, ability to harness the power of science, potential impact and ability to achieve the Power of Zero. The series will be judged by an esteemed panel comprising of Nandini Vaidyanathan, Founder of CARMa CONNECT, Rajeev Karwal, Founder & CEO of Milagrow and Dr. Homi Bhedwar, Regional Technology Director, Asia Pacific, DuPont.
As a returning jury member, Dr. Bhedwar shares his optimism for this upcoming season: “Every year DuPont’s market-driven science introduces hundreds of new products and patent applications aimed at growing more and healthier food, finding alternatives to fossil fuels and protecting people and our environment. The Challenge for Zero is a platform designed to stimulate and showcase innovations from young India. Last year we saw many fine science-based innovations from college and university students. The increased popularity of Challenge For Zero, this year, has led to even more competitive entries and I eagerly look forward to judge another round of brilliance.”
The winner will be awarded Rs. Ten lakhs and a paid trip to the global DuPont Headquarters in Wilmington, USA. The first runner-up will be awarded Rs. Five lakhs and a paid trip to DuPont India.
