M. Karunakar Reddy, Receives Padmashree Jadav Payeng International Award 2025
CLIMATE CHANGE / INSPIRATION / News
M. Karunakar Reddy, Green Man of India, Receives Padmashree Jadav Payeng International Award 2025
ARABINDA RABHA
Green Crusader M. Karunakar Reddy Honored with Padmashree Jadav Payeng International Award 2025 for Transforming India’s Ecological Landscape!
In a stirring tribute to environmental stewardship, M. Karunakar Reddy, renowned as the “Green Man of India,” and Correspondent of Mahabahu from Hyderabad was conferred the Padmashree Jadav Payeng International Award 2025 at a grand ceremony held at Jyoti Pratap Gyanmarg Bidyalay in Assam.
The event, graced by environmental luminaries, policymakers, and global changemakers, celebrated Reddy’s unparalleled legacy in afforestation, water conservation, and youth-led sustainability movements—a beacon of hope in an era of climate crisis.
A Legacy Rooted in Vision and Action
Reddy’s journey began under the mentorship of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, India’s “Missile Man” and beloved former President, who inspired him to launch Igniting Minds in 2012. With guidance from Dr. G. Sateesh Reddy (former DRDO Chairman and Advisor to Raksha Mantri), the initiative evolved into a global force, mobilizing millions across Antarctica to the Arctic under its Green India Challenge.
After Dr. Kalam’s passing in 2015, Reddy pledged to plant 1 billion trees—a mission now halfway realized, with 195 million geo-tagged saplings thriving nationwide and 20,000 water bodies rejuvenated. His organizations—SMAAT India, Walk for Water, and Green India Challenge—have turned barren lands into lush forests and parched villages into water-secure communities.
Confronting the Planet’s Most Urgent Crises
The award comes at a critical juncture:
- Water Scarcity: 2 billion people lack safe drinking water (WHO), while South Asia faces vanishing groundwater and dying rivers.
- Air Pollution: Toxic smog claims 7 million lives annually, with cities like Delhi and Dhaka choking under hazardous AQI levels.
- Climate Extremes: Record-breaking heatwaves (like 2024’s 52°C in Rajasthan) and erratic monsoons devastate agriculture and health.
Reddy’s tech-driven solutions—such as geo-tagged plantations for accountability and AI-monitored water restoration—offer scalable blueprints. “Every sapling is a soldier in this war for survival,” he remarked.
The Ceremony: A Call to Arms
The Jyoti Protap Education Trust, institutors of the award, framed it as a “baton-passing moment” to ignite collective action. The school’s Establishment Day underscored Reddy’s mantra: “Sustainability and equity must grow together.”
In his acceptance speech, Reddy invoked Jadav Payeng—the “Forest Man of India” who single-handedly planted a 1,360-acre forest—and issued a rallying cry:
“This award is not mine alone—it belongs to every citizen who plants a tree, saves a drop of water, or fights for clean air. Media, policymakers, and youth must unite to scale this revolution. Let’s make heatwaves history.”
Why This Story Matters Globally
Reddy’s model transcends borders:
- Africa: Similar community-led reforestation (e.g., Kenya’s Green Belt Movement) shows promise.
- Latin America: Amazon guardians combat deforestation using Reddy’s geo-tagging tactics.
- Policy Impact: India’s LiFE Mission (Lifestyle for Environment) now integrates his grassroots strategies.
For the Media: This isn’t just an award—it’s a living manifesto. Spread this story. Amplify the Green India Challenge. The 195 million trees are proof: Hope is a verb.
30-03-2025
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