Akzo Nobel India’s “Let’s Colour” Initiative Transforming Jodhpur
Akzo Nobel India has been involved in an innovative initiative ‘Let’s Colour’ in Jodhpur - the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan. In attendance at the event were Srimati Kunti Deora Parihar, Mayor, Jodhpur, and Ms. Harshi Rastogi, Company Secretary, Akzo Nobel India.
The historic Surya Colony is nothing short of a heritage walk of Jodhpur. For centuries, the colour blue has been intrinsic to the identity of Jodhpur. AkzoNobel’s latest Let’s Colour project has re-energized the timeless appeal of the city known as the ‘Blue City’ with a vivid blue colour repainted on the 250 homes in the foothills of five-centuries old Mehrangarh Fort.
At the same time, 20 colourful murals in the refreshed by-lanes leading up to the Fort have transformed this tourist area into an open-air art gallery that offers a slice-of-life of Rajasthan. The vibrant murals span a modern take on traditional art forms, share the joys of a train journey from Jodhpur Junction, from the long moustached man in Rajasthani attire to the blushing bride in the palanquin - a colourful surprise awaits on every turn as the walls are now a canvas showcasing Rajasthan’s unique art and culture.
Located on the edge of the Thar Desert, the peak summer months sees Jodhpur city’s maximum temperatures soar past 45OC. To make a sustainable difference to the people living here, AkzoNobel has coated over 100 rooftops with Dulux Weathershield Protect. This high-quality exterior emulsion provides all-weather protection to homes and comes with the special Sunreflect TechnologyTM that reduces the temperature of exterior surfaces by up to 5OC. As a result, in its new avatar, the old town is literally cooler and more liveable too!
Elaborating on the Let’s Colour Jodhpur initiative, Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director, AkzoNobel India said, “We’re extremely proud to bring our ‘Let’s Colour’ program to Jodhpur and show how the transformative power of paint can inspire people and uplift communities. It’s always exciting to see the difference our products can make. Whether we’re bringing cheer to local communities, protecting homes, showcasing art and culture, or celebrating history and heritage, everything we do starts with People. Planet. Paint.”
The transformation which took over four months saw 15 AkzoNobel Paint Academy painters, 10 local artists, 50 local residents, and AkzoNobel employee volunteers pool their creative talents. Over 5,600 liters of AkzoNobel’s range of Dulux decorative paints were applied to over 250,000 square feet of walls. While Dulux Promise Exterior paint with its special anti-peel properties now increases the durability of home facades; Dulux Gloss enamel paint has added an inviting sheen to the metal main doors of homes. But that’s not all - the transformation extends to the community walkways and staircases, which are now a rainbow of colours with Akzo Nobel India’s recently launched Dulux FloorPlus paint.
An integral part of ‘AkzoNobel Cares’ – AkzoNobel’s umbrella societal program, Let’s Colour community initiative is all about leveraging the transformative power of paint to inspire people, uplift communities, empower local youth with employable skills and making living spaces more fun, live-able, and enjoyable. A key component of AkzoNobel’s People. Planet. Paint. purpose, over 2,400 Let’s Colour projects globally have benefitted more than 82 million people in 46 countries.
