Green Tribute On KCR's 72nd Birthday

The 72nd birthday of K Chandrashekar Rao was marked by a large-scale environmental tribute, as 10,000 mangrove saplings were planted in the Sundarbans under the leadership of Joginapalli Santosh Kumar.

The initiative transformed a celebratory occasion into a climate-focused campaign, symbolically extending the green philosophy associated with KCR’s governance. Mangroves in the delta serve as natural shields- weakening cyclone winds, reducing tidal surges, filtering pollutants and storing carbon far more efficiently than most terrestrial forests, making the plantation both symbolic and scientifically significant.

Environmental conservation remained a defining feature during KCR’s tenure in Telangana, where afforestation and ecological restoration were pursued alongside welfare and infrastructure development. The flagship programme Telangana Ku Haritha Haram aimed at expanding forest cover, improving groundwater recharge, protecting biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience in the young state.

Inspired by this vision, the Green India Challenge mobilised youth, public representatives and civil society across the country, resulting in the plantation of millions of saplings and rejuvenation of thousands of water bodies.

By choosing a fragile coastal ecosystem already affected by cyclones such as Cyclone Amphan and Cyclone Yaas, organisers highlighted a long-term commitment- not merely to planting trees, but to safeguarding natural buffers that protect communities from escalating climate threats.

The effort also carried a broader message- local environmental success should inspire national participation, encouraging youth, institutions and communities to share collective ecological responsibility and pass environmental awareness to future generations.