After his mother passed away - Marathi actor Sayaji Shinde was a man on a mission - to plant trees in her memory. As per The Better India report, a promise made on her deathbed, became one of Maharashtra's biggest native tree movements. A promise made to his dying mother years ago - to plant 5,000 native trees later blossomed into Sahyadri Devraj, a movement that has led to the growth of no less than 6.5 lakh native trees across 29 locations the state! Sayaji travelled across the state, planting peepal, banyan, tamarind and more indigenous trees. Planting them was the easiest part - making them survive was more challenging. He needed more manpower, so gradually turned the one-man-mission into a grassroots movement. He involved villagers, communities in the endeavour. Many villagers watered the sapling themselves, caring for them with sincerity. The movement gradually revived the ecosystem, witnessed the return of many wildlife which had fled when greenery was obliterated. Who Is Sayaji Shinde?Shinde is a veteran actor who acts in Marathi and Hindi movies. He was born in a farmer’s family in a small village in Maharashtra. Before showbiz came calling, he worked as a night watchman for Maharashtra Government's Irrigation Department and earned a meagre sum of Rs 165 per month. It was during this period he developed an interest in movies. Shinde began his journey in acting in 1978 through Marathi theatre, initially performing in stage productions and one-act plays. His breakthrough came with the 1987 Marathi play Zulva, where his performance earned widespread appreciation and helped him gain recognition among respected figures in the theatre community. Later, he transitioned into Marathi cinema. He made his Bollywood debut through the 1990 film Disha. However, it was the 1999 action drama Shool that brought him his breakthrough. Some of his notable Bollywood films include Sarkar Raj (also starring Amitabh Bachchan), Sanju (featuring Ranbir Kapoor) the Ram Gopal Verma directorial Shool etc.