MARIMUTHU Yoganathan was only 12 years old when he took on the timber mafia in the serene Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Raised next to a tea estate nestled in these hills, Yoganathan was shocked at the plunder of the trees and inspired many in the area to oppose the illegal felling of the trees. In one protest, the goons thrashed Yoganathan, but that didn’t deter him. He started a campaign of awareness, writing heartfelt letters to the collector and adorning public walls with his handwritten posters. They were noticed and had an impact.
His connection with environmental activism grew stronger when he crossed paths with Jayachandran, a prominent Tamil Nadu Green Movement figure. This association deepened Yoganathan’s commitment to preserving nature.
Humble origins
Born into humble beginnings, Yoganathan faced adversity early in life, losing his father at just one and a half years old. His mother’s move to the Nilgiris district for work in the tea gardens exposed him to the embrace of nature, sparking a lasting bond.
As he grew up as a very conscious citizen, he understood that taking on people who were felling trees would not solve the matter. Yoganathan decided to encourage people to plant trees for a greener Nilgiris.
Now 54, and a bus conductor in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation in Coimbatore, Yoganathan, in the last four decades, has made a name for himself as the “Tree Man of Coimbatore.” He reportedly uses 40% of his monthly salary to buy saplings and educate children. According to some estimates, he has planted over 400,000 saplings so far across the state of Tamil Nadu
The educator
His dedication has transcended time, having spent the past four decades gifting free saplings to his bus passengers. The fruits of his labour are astounding, with over four lakh saplings taking root across Tamil Nadu since 1987. Yoganathan is not limited to distributing saplings or planting them; he invests his spare moments in educating young minds at schools and colleges.
During his weekly day off on Mondays, Yoganathan’s focus often shifts to tree-planting initiatives within various schools in Tamil Nadu. His conservation passion drives him to participate in these programmes actively, fostering a green future. In fact, he carries with him an LCD projector, a valuable tool to keep his talks engaging on environmental awareness. His main aim is to impart fascinating insights about the natural world to young minds.
Amidst his prolific green legacy, Yoganathan advocates a revolutionary idea – integrating sapling planting and care into the school curriculum. He fervently believes that real estate developers should be mandated to plant a specific number of saplings before commencing construction like they are told to do rainwater harvesting and parking space allocation.
A green sanctuary in Coimbatore
A new chapter in his journey has unfolded at Bharathiar University, where Yoganathan is crafting a Kuyil Thoppu (bird sanctuary in Tamil). Sprouting in Coimbatore, this sanctuary will nurture 2,000 saplings, bearing native, rare, and fruit-yielding trees. Yet, his aspirations reach far beyond this endeavour. Yoganathan’s ultimate dream is to see that every household in every Indian village sows the seeds of five trees: mango, chiku (sapota), coconut, guava, and jackfruit.
In recognition of his exceptional environmental commitment, the Indian government gave him the prestigious Eco Warrior Award. The 54-year-old conductor has also been conferred with the title ‘Sutru Suzal Seyal Veerar‘ by the Tamil Nadu Government.
Marimuthu Yoganathan’s selfless dedication and hands-on approach to nurturing the environment are a testament to the profound impact that one individual’s determination can make.
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Kumara was a professional journalist for over 15 years, with stints in The Telegraph and Reader’s Digest. He grew up hating maths and physics. He is a post-graduate in history. Kumara believes that cricket and Seinfeld have answers to most questions that life throws at you.
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