Environment

A decade ago, Vijayapura in Karnataka was barren, with almost no forest cover. Today, a people-led greening campaign has grown 15 million trees, reviving water, land, and hope.

In the quiet hills of Uttarakhand, villagers — often led by women — guard their forests through the van panchayat system. What began as a collective effort to manage local resources has become a lifeline for both people and nature.

What do you do when the sea that raised you starts to choke on plastic? For Ajay Sawant, the answer was to listen — and turn heartbreak into hope for the ocean he calls home.

Amidst Rajasthan’s water scarcity and harsh terrain, Sundaram Verma discovered a technique to grow trees with just a litre of water each. Today, more than 60,000 trees stand as proof — showing farmers nationwide that transformation begins at the roots.

From robotic boats to duckweed-powered wastewater treatment, five innovative ways that are reimagining river cleanup with community impact, proving that young changemakers can revive India’s lifelines.

Once threatened by poaching and tree-cutting, Elathur Lake in Erode is now home to 187 bird species and a proud Biodiversity Heritage Site — thanks to its people.

Inspired by the Japanese art of Kokedama, Anjali started her own garden. And her amma transformed it by upcycling waste such as cans, bottles, tyres and old clothes!

After learning about the ugly side of development projects as a lawyer, Panta Ferrao quit his job and went on to create ‘Khaama Kethna’ -- an eco-village nestled in Goa’s jungles.

G Srikanth from Gudiyatham in Tamil Nadu, witnessed his hometown’s greenery fade away. So, he planted over 15,000 trees across Vellore’s barren lands despite facing threats and opposition from the real estate mafia and politicians.

Worried about the planet’s future, Akshat Shah and Shubh Mehta launched ‘Change Is Us’ in Mumbai when they were in Class 12. Now, they’re supported by 25,000 volunteers cleaning Girgaon Chowpatty Beach on weekends.