Mangrove forest

They’re not environmentalists by label, but by life. These five individuals are restoring mangrove forests—vital, vanishing ecosystems that protect India’s coasts. From community projects to hands-on work in the mud, their actions speak louder than policies, showing how quiet persistence can outlast even the toughest climate threats.

L&T has planted mangroves across 150 hectares in Karanj and Hansot, Gujarat, through its Blue Carbon initiative. This effort has boosted farmer incomes and enhanced ecological balance, providing a sustainable livelihood while restoring biodiversity and protecting the coastal environment.

Inspired by his parents, Prasenjit Mandal overcame incredible odds to start the Sundarban Foundation, a non-profit which has become a lifeline for the people of Bali island in the Sundarbans.

Kandal Rajan from Kannur, Kerala, has been conserving the mangrove belt on the Pazhayandi River for over four decades. He also owns a small mangrove nursery with 5,000 saplings at home.

Vikhroli today has 16 mangrove species, 208 bird species, and a thriving biodiversity, thanks to the vision of one man.

Bijay Kumar Kabi, director at Action for Protection of Wild Animals in Odisha planted a mangrove forest to prevent Badakot village from being eroded by cyclones