- Birthday celebration takes a leaf out of nature’s book as PMG KK Yadav plants sapling and inspires citizens to make tree plantation part of life’s milestones
- Swadeshi Samaj Seva Samiti marks Yadav’s 49th birthday with ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation drive in Ahmedabad
- Rudraksha, Gulmohar, Amaltas, Ashoka, Neem, Mango, Amla and other fruit-bearing, medicinal and shade-giving plants among 49 saplings planted
- Environmentalists, postal officials and educationists join hands to turn a personal milestone into a message for a greener future
- Speakers call tree plantation a powerful tool to protect the environment, combat global warming and secure the future of coming generations
NE ENVIRONMENT BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 11
What if every birthday left behind not just memories, but a living legacy? North Gujarat Region Postmaster General, senior litterateur and popular administrator Krishna Kumar Yadav chose precisely that path on his 49th birthday, turning a personal celebration into a green commitment for Ahmedabad.
A plantation programme was organised by the Swadeshi Samaj Seva Samiti in Ahmedabad to mark Yadav’s 49th birthday, with 49 plants being planted under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
The initiative transformed the birthday into an environmental message, with participants taking a pledge to make the city greener and contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment.
Addressing the gathering, Postmaster General Krishna Kumar Yadav said: “Birthdays and wedding anniversaries are important occasions in our lives. By planting trees on such special days, we can give society a new direction.”
He emphasised that Indian tradition has long regarded trees and plants as symbols of the divine, with a tradition of respecting and worshipping nature. Underscoring the importance of oxygen and environmental protection, he said conservation should become an integral part of everyday life and tree plantation should be connected with important milestones.
49 saplings for a 49th birthday
The plantation drive featured a diverse mix of fruit-bearing, medicinal and shade-giving trees, creepers and flowering plants, including Rudraksha, Gulmohar, Amaltas, Ashoka, Tulsi, Neem, Mango, Amla, Tejpat, Cinnamon, Betel, Syngonium, Rajnigandha and Gandharaj, among others.
Together, the 49 saplings symbolised 49 years, giving the birthday celebration a distinctive environmental dimension.
The programme was organised under the stewardship of the Swadeshi Samaj Seva Samiti, whose Founder-Secretary Vivek Yadav, popularly known as the ‘Rudraksha Man’, presented Krishna Kumar Yadav with a Rudraksha sapling and extended his wishes for a happy and healthy life.
Vivek Yadav said that creating awareness about tree plantation among citizens was essential to protecting and maintaining the balance of the planet and nature.
He appealed to people to join the Samiti’s initiatives and contribute to its wider mission of service, values and environmental conservation.
From celebration to environmental responsibility
The programme also brought together postal officials, educators and environmental enthusiasts, reinforcing the message that environmental protection cannot remain the responsibility of a few institutions or individuals.
Shishir Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Ahmedabad Division, said tree plantation was among the most effective means of protecting the environment, reducing global warming and creating a secure future for coming generations.
Mahendra D Yadav, Principal, Raghunath Hindi Higher Secondary School, said: “Life is a gift from the Almighty, service is the greatest form of worship, and protecting nature is the greatest duty of our times.”
Assistant Director Alpesh Shah stressed the need for society to draw inspiration from such initiatives at a time when forest cover is continuously declining.
The programme thus extended beyond the symbolic planting of saplings, urging citizens to treat environmental stewardship as a continuing responsibility rather than an occasional activity.
A green message for the next generation
The celebration witnessed the participation of several environment-conscious citizens and officials, including Assistant Director Ritul Gandhi, Waris Vohra, Assistant Superintendent Birang Shah, Jinesh Patel, Ramesh Patel, Ronak Shah, Vishal Chauhan, Subhash and G B Kataria, among others.
The gathering reinforced a simple but powerful idea: every individual milestone can become an opportunity to give something back to nature.
By replacing conventional birthday symbolism with 49 living plants, the organisers sought to demonstrate that environmental action can begin with something as personal and accessible as a birthday.
The initiative also gave practical meaning to the call for citizens to integrate plantation into their everyday lives and celebrations—ensuring that today’s saplings become tomorrow’s shade, biodiversity and cleaner air.
49 years. 49 saplings. One green message: Celebrate life by giving life back to the earth.
