Over 6800 Students Become ‘Paryavaran Senanis’ At Viral Desai’s Tree Ganesha

Surat: More than 6,800 students from schools and colleges across Surat participated in environmental awareness sessions at Tree Ganesha 2026, an initiative led by environmentalist Viral Desai under the Satyagraha Against Pollution and Climate Change movement.

Organised for the eighth consecutive year, the initiative used the occasion of Ganeshotsav to engage students in discussions on climate change, pollution, biodiversity, tree plantation and environmental responsibility.

Students participating in the sessions were encouraged to become ‘Paryavaran Senanis’, with the objective of taking environmental awareness beyond the festival and translating it into individual and collective action. Students demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment towards environmental causes were also felicitated with ‘Paryavaran Senani’ caps.

This year’s Tree Ganesha was organised around the theme ‘Das Saal Bemisaal’, highlighting a decade of environmental initiatives undertaken by Desai and the Hearts at Work Foundation.

Displays at the venue documented initiatives undertaken over the years in areas including large-scale tree plantation, development of Miyawaki urban forests, biodiversity conservation, pollution awareness and engagement with students and youth.

Addressing students during the programme, Desai said, “Ganeshotsav gives us a unique opportunity to connect faith with our responsibility towards Nature. ‘Das Saal Bemisaal’ represents ten years of sustained environmental efforts, but more importantly, it is an opportunity to involve the next generation in this journey.”

“Our aim is to ensure that students do not remain merely aware of climate change and environmental challenges, but become Paryavaran Senanis who are willing to translate that awareness into action,” he added.

Direct interaction with students formed a key part of the programme, with discussions focusing on the consequences of climate change, biodiversity conservation, different forms of pollution and the role individuals can play in environmental protection.

Tree Ganesha has, over the years, developed into a platform for engaging school and college students with environmental issues during Ganeshotsav. The initiative is supported by the Surat Police, Gujarat Forest Department and Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).

According to the organisers, Desai has led the plantation of around 7.5 lakh trees and the development of around 13 Miyawaki urban forests. Through the Satyagraha Against Pollution and Climate Change movement and related environmental initiatives, he has engaged with more than 7 lakh students on environmental issues.

Desai is also a columnist on environment and climate-related issues and the author of ‘The Architect of Amritpath’, a book focusing on environmental and sustainability initiatives in India.