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Solar Impulse 2 in India

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This March, Solar Impulse begins an attempt to be the first solar-powered airplane to fly around the world, powered only by the sun''s rays. As it crosses India, the plane, ''Solar Impulse 2'', will be hosted by the Aditya Birla Group.

Solar-Impulse-2-India-insid.webpSolar Impulse is the brainchild of pilots and founders Mr. Bertrand Piccard (Initiator and Chairman) and Mr. André Borschberg (CEO). A psychiatrist and explorer, Mr. Piccard flew around the world in a hot-air balloon in 1999; and the design team is led by Mr. Andre Borschberg, CEO, seasoned flight design engineer, entrepreneur and former Swiss fighter pilot.

The revolutionary single-seater aircraft is made of carbon fibre, with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, the weight of a family car. Over 17,000 solar cells and four lithium batteries supply the electric motors with enough renewable energy to fly day and night.

“Solar Impulse is delighted to partner with the Aditya Birla Group as our values and goals of promoting sustainable development are fully aligned. As our local Indian Host Partner, we look forward to working with Aditya Birla in organising events and activities which will inspire both business and political decision makers and future leaders of tomorrow as to the enormous economic and social potential of clean technologies,” said Solar Impulse Founders Mr. Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman, and André Borschberg, CEO.''

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said, “The Aditya Birla Group is delighted to be the India host to Solar Impulse 2 on its groundbreaking flight around the world. Our group sustainability strategy is to integrate sustainability issues into our business strategies for the future.

The Aditya Birla Group will be the host partner for the India leg of the Solar Impulse journey, with stops planned in Ahmedabad and Varanasi and will partner with the Solar Impulse main sponsors Solvay, ABB, Schindler and Omega to offer ground support to the world record attempt. The sponsors, like the founders, hope the flight will change history.