{"id":11338,"date":"2022-02-25T07:00:36","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T01:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalindian.com\/youth\/\/?post_type=story&p=11338"},"modified":"2022-03-17T16:06:58","modified_gmt":"2022-03-17T10:36:58","slug":"how-padma-shri-nominee-yogabalaji-21-planted-10000-trees-gave-covid-19-talks","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/old.globalindian.com\/youth\/story\/cover-story\/how-padma-shri-nominee-yogabalaji-21-planted-10000-trees-gave-covid-19-talks\/","title":{"rendered":"How Padma Shri nominee Yogabalaji, 21, planted 10,000 trees, gave Covid-19 talks"},"content":{"rendered":"

(February 25, 2022)<\/strong> From the small Tamil Nadu town of Muduvurpatti comes a lad who has stars in eyes and a steely resolve to affect change towards the environment at the grassroot level. Always socially driven, Yogabalaji G, a 21-year-old engineering student, has been actively working towards creating change from a young age. From initiating tree plantation drives, road safety awareness activities, student and women empowerment, to collaborating with the ministry of human resources and development for the Samadhan challenge to reduce Covid-19 cases in India, this climate activist has always been on his toes.<\/p>\n

Recipient of several awards – Mahatma Gandhi Award, Climate Reality Leadership Award from Al Gore, and the UNSDG recognition, Yogabalaji was also nominated by the MHRD in October 2020 for the Padma Shri for his work with the government.<\/p>\n

\"Climate

Busting myths, breaking stigmas<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Yet, things weren\u2019t always hunky dory for this youngster. Born in 2001 in Muduvarpatti amidst floods that claimed the lives of three of his grandparents, his birth was considered unlucky by most people, except his mother. \u201cShe named me Yogabalaji since she considered me lucky (yoga), and I was born during the Chithirai<\/em> festival – dedicated to Lord Balaji,\u201d smiles Yogabalaji in an interview with Global Indian<\/em><\/a>. From a village school that lacked basic facilities like a lab, playground and even toilets, he aspired higher.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, I always wondered about climate change and the environment. A lot of my questions were answered when I began college. I began researching some more, and realised that emission of Co2, increase in usage of vehicles, and production of cement were some of the major contributing factors to climate change,\u201d says the young climate activist, who believes in the adage – be the change you want to see.<\/p>\n

He spent more than two years researching the replacement of cement in concrete. This was submitted to the American Concrete Institute, a leading civil engineering body. His project received the second prize at the ACI students\u2019 competition. That apart, this climate activist has also been working at the grassroot level to spread awareness about zero carbon and low carbon technologies. \u201cI also speak to students and village folk to spread awareness about environmental issues and encourage them to adopt cleaner ways of life,\u201d says the student at Coimbatore-based PSG Institute of Technology. He also visits schools to hold workshops and has been conducting webinars through the Covid-19 pandemic as well.<\/p>\n

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