9-year-old wonderkid, plants 48,000 saplings and counting

CHENNAI: Just like a 4mm seed has a potential to grow 400 ft tall, similarly I feel age doesn’t matter. We all have the potential to bring positive change,” says Prasiddhi Singh, a 9-year-old environmentalist based in the city, who has planted around 48,000 trees through her foundation, Prasiddhi Forest Foundation. She established the foundation at the age of 6 to give back to nature.

Talking about what motivated her to take up the challenge, she says, “There have been a series of incidents that connected me with nature and helped me find my purpose and responsibility towards mother earth. The incident which triggered me the most was the Vardah cyclone in 2016. The havoc created due to the cyclone was heartbreaking. I saw birds, monkeys, and squirrels hunting for shelters as their natural habitat had been uprooted. That is when I decided to plant trees.”

Prasiddhi who won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar in 2021 for her contribution to nature and the environment says that winning the award helped her raise awareness among her peers, neighbourhood, and society about the importance of nurturing the environment and climate change.

She has been recognised for her work by several organisations and proceeds of the prize money she receives goes to planting more trees and using the add a fence around saplings.

Opening up about why she thinks we as humans are nature’s worst enemies, she says, “The root of all problems is that we take it for granted. We continue to harm nature instead of preserving it. We should be compassionate towards our planet and every life on it. We are part of this beautiful biodiversity and we are duty-bound to take care of it.”

She says that the younger generation is becoming more aware of the welfare of the environment and are turning to conscious living. “I believe that every single step, every single drop, every single action together can make a huge difference and the millennials today are making that effort.”

She says through Cartoon Network’s ‘Redrawing India’ initiative, which throws a spotlight on kids from across the country who are driving positive change through their actions and talent, she aims to motivate the younger generation to care for the environment and become more climate-conscious.

Talking about her dreams and goals, she says, “My immediate goal is to plant one lakh trees by 2022. I have already planted 48,000 plants in several schools, colleges, government offices, corporate lands, village lands, farms and community gardens, and other safe public places. I dream of creating a happy, healthy, and equitable planet for all living beings.”