When I was a child, I used to attend computer classes that were on the riverside. On the way, I noticed a lot of trees and was fascinated by their beauty. Most of my class went into peering out the window, staring at the greenery in front of me. Looking at it every day made me want to grow such trees around me.
Life has thrown various curveballs at me. I got into an accident, after which I battled between life and death for four months. Therefore, I am familiar with grief. The year 2020 brought COVID-19 along with it. The entire world was reeling from the virus’ deadly repercussions. Many families lost their loved ones. There was negativity everywhere. Fortunately for me, I did not catch Coronavirus. When everything was going wrong, I decided to look at the year from a different perspective. This motivated me to go on a plantation drive.
The Rise Of ‘Roopkesarivatika’
With my sister, Namrata, in tow, I stepped out to plant trees in barren lands around us during the lockdown. In each area, we planted saplings that were native to the region. I took an oath to plant 2020 trees that year. Whenever I completed the deed, I took a video and shared it on social media, dedicating it to our friends, families and others who suffered a lot during the pandemic.
As the year went by, the drive also gained momentum. Initially, I planted 15 trees per day. It increased to 40 trees eventually. By the time 2020 ended, around 1100 trees were growing, reaching closer to my goal. After a brief break, the drive resumed again in 2021 with a loftier aim in mind. I started ‘Roopkesarivatika’ in September this year, keeping this in mind.
We raise awareness not just about global warming and climate change, but we also aim to make villages around lush and green. Now, I aim to plant over 10 lakh trees around me to leave behind a greener earth for our future generations. They deserve clean air and an overall ecologically balanced environment and do not want them to suffer the consequences of the degradation that we caused here.
To A Greener Future
This year alone, we have planted over 5000 trees. While many people come and help us in the drive, there are many who are not able to do so. They simply donate Rs 59, and we plant the saplings on their behalf, sharing the video with them. Our organisation makes way for a greener future, and we also help in providing education for children, women empowerment, healthcare benefits, etc. I could not do this without the support of my family and friends. If not for them, I would not have gone forward and tried making a difference in people’s lives. All of us tend to take our life for granted. This way, we can live it to the fullest and make the most of what it has to offer.
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