Krushna Chandra Nayak, 63, proves that one man’s resolve can move mountains—or in this case, green them.
Berhampur, Odisha —
In a remarkable display of environmental dedication, a 63-year-old retired teacher from Odisha’s Berhampur has turned an improbable dream into a thriving reality. Krushna Chandra Nayak, once a schoolteacher, has spent the past two decades transforming 20 barren, rocky hills into lush green forests, one sapling at a time.
What began as a solitary effort after his retirement has now become a movement that resonates with the region’s youth, farmers, and environmentalists. “When I first started, people laughed. They said the hills were lifeless. But I believed that if I kept planting, nature would take over,” says Nayak, modestly brushing off the awe his efforts command.
Armed with a spade, watering cans, and an unwavering sense of purpose, Nayak began planting trees — neem, banyan, acacia, peepal, mango — across dry slopes where even grass struggled to grow. Each summer, he walked miles to water the saplings, shielding them with handmade guards and tending to them like a gardener does to his own children.
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Today, the hills are covered with thousands of trees, providing shade, moisture, and new life to the ecosystem. Birds, squirrels, and even jackals have returned to the once-silent terrain. Locals now refer to the area as “Krushna Sir’s Jungle.”
Environmentalists have praised the reforestation as a grassroots triumph. “This is a real model of sustainable change. It didn’t come from policy, but from purpose,” said one local forest official.
What’s even more remarkable is that Nayak has refused any government grant or award for his work. “I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it because I couldn’t sit idle knowing these hills were dying,” he says simply.
As climate change poses a growing threat to biodiversity and green cover, Nayak’s story stands as a powerful example of what quiet persistence and deep-rooted love for nature can achieve. It’s a legacy not carved in stone, but rooted in soil.
