Driven by green dreams

It’s unusual to see a team sustain an initiative for seven years with unwavering commitment and purpose. But the Rotary Club of Chennai ­Meraki, RID 3233, an all-women’s club, has done just that: taking its environmental message across the country through an annual car expedition, now in its ­seventh year.

Since its charter, the club has been championing environmental awareness, and this year, members ­Sivabala Rajendran, Kothangi ­Suchitra, and club president ­Saravana Selvi embarked on a remarkable 6,500km journey over 17 days. Their route spanned 15 states, 11 RI districts and included interactions with over 500 Rotarians and 1,500 students, even extending beyond India to ­Kathmandu, Nepal (RID 3292).

“This year’s focus was on afforestation and inspiring Rotary clubs to develop Miyawaki forests in their region,” says Sivabala, the club’s charter president and chair of the expedition. While she and ­Suchitra are permanent members of the core team, they include the current year’s president and secretary annually to share the experience and carry the mission forward. “We keep the team small — just four of us — for ­better ­coordination, especially since we cover long distances with a tight schedule,” she adds.

The team, travelling in an Innova, was flagged off in Chennai by DG Mahaveer Bothra and textile industrialist Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti. Among the many memorable moments, Sivabala highlights their meetings with PRIP Shekhar Mehta in Kolkata and PRID Kamal Sanghvi in Dhanbad.

Before the journey began, ­Sivabala reached out to Mehta. “He promptly responded within a few hours expressing his interest to meet us. He welcomed us into his office, spent over 90 minutes understanding our mission and past expeditions, and was deeply moved by our commitment,” says club president Selvi.

Their first trip was from Chennai to Dhanushkodi (south Tamil Nadu), and in the subsequent years they did Chennai to Kolkata to participate in the Rotary India’s centenary ­celebrations; Madikeri (Karnataka) to Poompuhar (TN) along the River Cauvery to promote preservation of water bodies; Kanyakumari to Kashmir; Chennai to Visakhapatnam to participate in the Rotary Institute; and a trip last year on the Western Ghats from Kanyakumari to Gujarat to promote preservation of the ecosystem of the hills.

The club, in its charter year (2018), created Sri Vanam, a huge nursery with over 32,000 saplings, on a barren-land-turned-dumpyard at the Tidel Park campus, in partnership with the Chennai Corporation and ­Communi-Tree, a local NGO. “We want to protect the environment, prevent soil erosion and curb pollution by planting trees. And today we are proud to say that the wasteland has been converted into a lush, green, urban forest bustling with biodiversity attracting birds and butterflies,” smiles Sivabala.

PRIP Mehta was thrilled to hear about their endeavour and “he, along with his wife Rashi, pledged support for 41 saplings to commemorate their 41^st wedding anniversary which happened to be on the day we met him!” These saplings will be planted in the Rotary International Miyawaki ­Forest the club is developing on a four-acre plot at the University of Madras. The forest, to be launched on June 21, will feature native, medicinal, and fruit-bearing trees. Mehta also promised to amplify their message and help the club achieve its ambitious goal of planting 10 million trees in 1,000 days. “Let’s work together to make this world green,” he told the team.

His club, RC Calcutta ­Mahanagar hosted the team and had arranged for a programme in a school where they spoke to students about afforestation, climate change and environmental care.

What made this journey even more meaningful was meeting warm-hearted Rotarians who share our commitment to the environment.
— Kothangi Suchitra

In Dhanbad, the team was warmly received at the home of PRID Kamal Sanghvi and Sonal. “He has always been a strong supporter of our expeditions. In fact, he and TRF Trustee Bharat Pandya (then RI Directors) were present during our maiden flag-off by then RI President Barry ­Rassin in 2018,” Sivabala recalls. He also endorsed the team’s new slogan: “Each one, plant one”, calling it bold and visionary.

Throughout their journey, the team was welcomed by Rotary clubs in cities and small towns alike. Their Go Green-themed Innova, covered in environmental messages, became a conversation starter at every stop. Clubs arranged for school and ­college interactions, where the ­Meraki team planted saplings, distributed seed packets and delivered passionate appeals on climate responsibility. “We urged everyone we met — ­students, Rotarians, ­Rotaractors, the public — to do their bit. Saving the planet requires collective action,” says Selvi.

At Kathmandu, the team received a grand welcome from DG ­Rajendra Man Sherchan, DGN Vishnu ­Karkee and several past governors. Krishna Sharma, president-elect of RC ­Kathmandu Heritage, collaborated with various clubs for a series of events across Nepal.

The team extends heartfelt thanks to DG Bothra, PDGs R Srinivasan and E K Sagadhevan (RID 3203), and Rtn Ramesh for their mentorship, and to Nalli Kuppuswami and Venugopal, chairman of Naidu Hall, a leading multi-brand garment retailer, for their financial support.

Looking ahead, Sivabala says that she and Suchitra are gearing up to take their expedition to the next level, by promoting environmental consciousness across international borders. “We Rotarians know no borders. So, our next journey may take us to Sri Lanka and Thailand, and we even dream of driving all the way to Russia and London.”

Suchitra, the sole driver for all seven expeditions till now, speaks with quiet pride about her passion for driving. “What made this journey even more meaningful was meeting warm-hearted Rotarians who share our commitment to the environment,” she says. Driving nonstop for 17 days wasn’t without its challenges, especially with rough roads, but “all the pain vanished the moment we were welcomed by Rotarians and their families. God has been kind to us; we didn’t ever have a flat tyre,” she exclaims.

She recalls the Kashmir ­expedition, where they narrowly missed a landslide in Srinagar by just a few minutes. “It was nothing short of divine intervention. With each mile, the mission only grows stronger. And the journey is far from over,” she smiles.