The Green Warriors

This beautiful and meaningful Sanskrit quote states that trees give us everything - from shade to fruits; they stand in the hot Sun, just like noble people who only give to others.

To ensure that Shriites understand the value of trees and imbibe their importance, a week long Vanamahotsav was celebrated with great gusto at The Shri Ram Universal School, Hyderabad.

It was an activity packed week to celebrate the importance of trees under the Environment Consciousness Programme. Given that the importance of trees in our lives cannot be overlooked, activities were organized for everyone – from the toddlers to the students in class IX.

The celebration was not limited to power point presentations only: skits on the importance of forests, poems on trees, poster making, growing hydroponic plants, songs and discussion on planning for the future were all incorporated to make the learning long lasting.

The response from the student community was heartening. They enthusiastically presented information about evolution of planktons, Bishnois our first tree protectors, Jadav Payeng whose grit made a desert come alive as a forest. They also shared photographs of their balconies and gardens with appropriate captions.

The green attire worn by all and the background of gardens in the virtual mode, gave a feel of actually being in the lap of nature. The programme culminated with a virtual fresh juice party.

Given the right environment, children learn much faster than we expect. The strong message of maintaining our forests for our own existence has not only reached the students but they have already started planning and taking the right steps to conserve our forests.

Overall it was an action packed week stressing the impact of deforestation on the flora and the fauna.

- Ms. Megha Kuthe