Guwahati: Marking 20 years of the global Earth Hour movement, WWF-India’s Assam State Office launched its Earth Hour 2026 campaign on Sunday with a cyclothon in Guwahati, urging citizens to “give an hour for the planet” through meaningful environmental action.
The event, titled Pedal for the Planet, was organised in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Assam Cycling Community, and Apollo Hospitals, Guwahati. Over 70 cyclists participated in the rally, which began from the SAI complex at Paltan Bazar.
The cyclothon was flagged off by Archita Baruah Bhattacharyya, State Director of WWF-India (Assam & Arunachal Pradesh), along with Rajnish Mishra, Assistant Director, SAI Guwahati; Suranjana Senapati, Additional Secretary to the Assam government and Director of Elementary Education; and M.C. Malakar, Senior Advisor to the WWF Assam Advisory Board. Actor, singer, and environmentalist Arghadeep Baruah was also present.
Addressing participants, Bhattacharyya highlighted the evolution of Earth Hour from a symbolic lights-off event into one of the world’s largest grassroots environmental movements, spanning over 190 countries. She called on people to switch off non-essential lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on March 28 and adopt sustainable practices beyond the one-hour gesture.
Earth Hour 2026 marks two decades of the global campaign, which has expanded in India into a broader platform promoting climate-conscious lifestyles and community-driven action. WWF-India has also announced a diverse lineup of national and state ambassadors for this year’s campaign, including sportsperson P.V. Sindhu, musician duo Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, composer Ricky Kej, actor Dia Mirza, and sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, among others.
Singer Joi Barua has been named the Assam State Ambassador for Earth Hour 2026. Urging public participation, Barua said he would switch off all non-essential lights during the designated hour and use the time to reflect and commit to more sustainable living. He called on households across Assam to join the movement and work collectively towards a greener future.
Earth Hour 2026 will be observed globally on March 28 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time, with millions expected to participate in what organisers describe as the “Biggest Hour for Earth.”