Having seen through planting of several lakhs of trees across Tamil Nadu over three decades, the fire in his belly rages on for M. Yoganathan, the 59-year-old bus conductor working with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, known prominently as ‘Tree man of Coimbatore’.
The icing on the cake for Mr. Yoganathan will be his participation in the feast hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday during the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, for his environmental initiative. Twenty such unique personalities from across the country have been chosen for the feast when they will be honored with certificates.
What makes his endeavour special is the self-driven motivation to spend own money for his noble cause that his entire family shares. “There is a vital reason why I spend half my salary for raising nurseries and supplying saplings to educational institutions and industrial establishments for greening their premises,” Mr. Yoganathan said.
“I am able to raise a sapling for less than ₹5 in my nursery whereas the same is sold at 10 times more the cost elsewhere. If not for a supportive family, my environmental pursuit would not have been possible,” said Mr. Yoganathan.
The TNSTC, Coimbatore, has also been supportive to his noble tasks.
“Mr. Yoganathan is as much efficient in his job, and has been feted by the organisation at the top level for his environmental cause,” said S. Sridharan, General Manager, TNSTC, Coimbatore.
A year back, cancer struck him and he had to remove a lung. But, it has not subdued his zeal for greening tasks a wee bit.
“Nevertheless, the drive for environmental cause remains undiminished. I will continue to motivate students, sensitising them to the inevitability of nurturing and safeguarding flora as the only source of fresh air to breathe,” said a resolute Mr. Yoganathan.
