Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi lauds engineer for re-greening Bengaluru and inspiring a national movement

PM Modi lauded a Bengaluru engineer, Kapil Sharma, for leading a movement to restore the city's greenery by planting trees, reviving lakes, and more.

Once celebrated as the Garden City, Bengaluru has watched its lakes shrink and its canopy thin under the weight of relentless urban growth. But one man’s determination is helping the city reclaim its green soul.

Sharma's non-profit SayTrees has planted over 10 million trees, earning national recognition for its impactful work in Bengaluru and across the country. (Representative photo)

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Mann Ki Baat address, applauded Kapil Sharma, a Bengaluru-based engineer, for leading a quiet but powerful environmental movement. Sharma’s work, reviving neglected wells and lakes and rallying citizens and companies to join hands, has become a model for sustainable urban action.

Originally from Raipur, Sharma moved to Bengaluru in 2001 for his engineering studies and was instantly enchanted by its tree-lined avenues. But by 2005, he noticed an unsettling pattern, trees disappearing to make way for flyovers and real estate, said a report by The Hindu.

That small step began with weekend tree planting drives in 2007, which grew into SayTrees, a non-profit dedicated to expanding India’s green and blue cover. Guided by what he calls the “three Ps”: project, people, and paisa, Sharma focused on identifying the right causes, building passionate teams, and finding responsible corporate partners.

Today, SayTrees has planted over 10 million trees across the country, including fruit-bearing varieties that provide income for 20,000 farmers. The group has also revived 50 lakes, collectively restoring nearly five billion litres of water capacity, turning parched land into thriving ecosystems, the report said.

SayTrees is also behind more than 150 Miyawaki-style urban forests, compact green patches that grow rapidly and restore biodiversity in cities.

Though Sharma now works from the US, he continues to spread the message globally while co-founder Devkant leads on-ground projects in India.