The developing world is leapfrogging developed countries when it comes to urban transport, with the city of Ahmedabad, India, today announced as winner of the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award for the successful implementation of Janmarg, India’s first full bus rapid transit (BRT) system.

“This year’s Sustainable Transport Award nominees demonstrate the relevance of the developing world in the fight against climate change while improving citizen’s quality of life and enhancing their international competitiveness,” said Walter Hook, Executive Director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. “Cities have the power to significantly reduce carbon emissions by actively seeking ways to improve transport.”

The Sustainable Transport Award is given annually to a city that uses transport innovations to increase mobility for all residents, while reducing transportation greenhouse and air pollution emissions and increasing cyclist and pedestrian safety and access.

Ahmedabad’s Janmarg BRT system is a sustainable model for the future of transportation in India, where a quarter of the world’s population lives. “BRT systems can positively impact air quality if car and motorbike drivers start taking trips by bus,” said Sophie Punte, Executive Director of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-ASIA). “This is particularly important in Asian cities, where air pollution levels are often far above guidelines of the World Health Organization.”

The first Indian to fly into space, Rakesh Sharma was born on January 13, 1949 in Patiala, Punjab. He was a squadron leader with the Indian Air Force, when he flew into space in 1984 as part of a joint programme between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Soviet Intercosmos space program. He spent eight days in space on board the Salyut 7 space station. He joined two other Soviet cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft which blasted off on April 2, 1984.

He was awarded the Hero of Soviet Union award on his return from space. The Government of India honoured him with the Ashok Chakra. He retired with the rank of Wing Commander. He joined the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 1987 and served as Chief Test Pilot in the HAL Nashik Division until 1992, before moving on to Bangalore to work as the Chief Test Pilot of HAL. He retired from test flying in 2001.

The manned space program of the Indian Space Research Organisation was undertaken with Russian help. The first Indian cosmonaut became the 138th man into space, he spent eight days in space aboard Salyut 7. Launched along with two other Soviet cosmonauts aboard the T-11 on 02 April 1984, was then-Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma, a 35 year old Indian Air Force pilot. During the flight, Squadron Leader Sharma conducted multi-spectral photography of northern India in anticipation of the construction of hydroelectric power stations in the Himalayas.

Squadron Leader Sharma and his backup, Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra, also prepared an elaborate series of zero-gravity Yoga exercises which the former had practised aboard the Salyut 7. Retired with the rank of Wing Commander, Rakesh Sharma joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as a test pilot. He was based at the Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bangalore and worked on the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft program. Current

The Ahmedabad Janmarg BRTS has been nominated for the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award to be conferred on January 12 in Washington DC.

Ahmedabad will compete with BRTS systems in Cali city of Columbia, Curitiba city of Brazil, Guadalajara city in Mexico and Johannesburg in South Africa.

The BRTS systems were chosen by a select group of independent institutions like ITDP, EMBARQ, GTZ, ICLEI, UITP and UNDP.

“This is a proud moment for the city as Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) had not applied for the award. Key independent institutions who were part of the award committee were in the city to study our BRTS earlier in the year and made their observations and judged us on certain scientific parameters,” said municipal commissioner IP Gautam.