Bengaluru may be known as the Garden City, but rapid urban development over the years has put its greenery and waterbodies under pressure. A Bengaluru-based engineer, Kapil Sharma, has been working to reverse that trend, and on Sunday, his efforts received national recognition.
In his weekly Mann Ki Baat address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Mr. Sharma’s efforts for rejuvenating wells and lakes in and around Bengaluru, and to mobilise both citizens and corporates to support his initiatives.
Mr. Sharma, who moved to Bengaluru from Raipur in 2001 to pursue engineering, says he fell in love with the city’s tree-lined streets. “Between 2005 and 2006, I started noticing many trees being cut down for development projects. It bothered me deeply, and I felt I needed to contribute as a concerned citizen,” he recalled.
Determined to act, he began visiting government offices to understand his role and capacity as a citizen. In 2007, he started planting saplings on weekends. Over time, more people joined him, and this collective effort became the foundation for SayTrees, a non-profit aimed at increasing India’s green and blue cover.
Mr. Sharma credits his ‘three P’s formula’—project, people, and paisa (money) for the organisation’s success. “Finding the right project, the right people, and the right corporate partners for funding support is crucial. I involve communities who are equally passionate about these initiatives to ensure the project’s success and sustainability,” he said.
