As 2025 comes to a close, Ramesh Kharmale, a 49-year-old ex-army man from Pune, has emerged as one of the year’s most impactful sustainability heroes.
Alongside his wife Swati and their two children, Kharmale has spent his weekends manually carving 70 serpentine trenches across the Dhamankhel Hill in Junnar.
These efforts have successfully trapped approximately 8 lakh litres of rainwater per season, significantly boosting the local water table and allowing over 450 native trees to thrive where there was once only parched soil.
His community-driven model, which includes the creation of an “Oxygen Park,” has revived local wildlife and serves as a blueprint for grassroots ecological restoration across Maharashtra.
Ramesh Kharmale
The story of Ramesh Kharmale is a profound example of how military discipline can be repurposed for environmental service. After serving 25 years in the Maratha Light Infantry, Kharmale retired in 2012 but found his true second calling as a forest guard.
Rather than limiting his work to official hours, he transformed his family’s weekends into a mission for the motherland. By using scientific contour trenching methods, he has addressed the acute water scarcity that once plagued the Junnar taluka.
His work has not only restored the green cover but has also inspired thousands through his “Nisargaramya Junnar Taluka” social media community, which now attracts volunteers from across five districts to participate in seed-ball dispersal and plastic-cleaning drives.
Building Biodiversity
One of the most significant milestones of Kharmale’s journey this year has been the development of the “Oxygen Park” in Vadaj village. Spanning 1.5 acres, the park was built using a unique community-funding model where donors contributed directly to nurseries for saplings of Peepal, Banyan, and Mahogany.
The Kharmale family has even excavated four ponds to provide drinking water for local birds and animals during the harsh summer months. Pradip Chavan, a Range Forest Officer, describes Kharmale as a “relentless” individual whose efforts have yielded unprecedented results on the ground.
By investing a significant portion of his own salary into seeds and equipment, Kharmale has proven that individual determination can bypass the need for large-scale government funding to create lasting change.
Mann Ki Baat
Earlier this year, in June 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Ramesh Kharmale during the 123rd episode of Mann Ki Baat, citing his work as a shining example of selfless service. The Prime Minister noted how Kharmale’s trenches and ponds were bringing back birdlife and wildlife to regions that had been dry for decades.
Reflecting on this recognition today, Kharmale maintains that his work is a “continuation of service” to the nation, just in a different uniform. He actively works on forest fire prevention by cutting dry grass and continues to treat injured wildlife, viewing the forest as an extension of his own family.
His message to the youth remains simple yet powerful: “Plant at least four trees for the future, for the clean air your children will need tomorrow.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that Ramesh Kharmale’s journey is a masterclass in empathy and practical patriotism. In a world often overwhelmed by the scale of the climate crisis, Kharmale shows us that the solution begins with a single spade and a dedicated heart.
His ability to involve his children in “digging the future” reminds us that environmental stewardship is the greatest legacy we can pass on.
We advocate for a society where such grassroots heroes are not just celebrated in speeches but supported through community participation and systemic change.
