Every Sunday, Vaijayanti Javadekar loads a dozen water cans in her car and heads out to check on the trees she has planted. She knows which sites need to be visited and what she is looking, for a tree that needs water, one that may have been damaged or a plantation that needs another round of checking after monsoon. It has become a part of her Sunday routine. Javadekar retired from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2020. While speaking to ‘The Hitavada,’ she shared that after retirement she wanted to use her time and a part of her pension to give back to society. Tree plantation became her chosen way and she has continued planting till date.

 

Talk to Javadekar about her trees and she is quick to explain why she chooses native and medicinal variety over others. She does not make the choice only because a tree is familiar or easily available. “Trees give shade, they support birds and butterflies and some have medicinal or fruit-bearing value. I think about all these things,” she explained. Over the years, she has worked with native, medicinal, fruit-bearing and flowering trees, taken up plantations along farm bunds and boundaries, worked on reforestation in Pench and arranged plantations at institutions including AIIMS and Anand Vatika in Kapsi. The farm plantations have been planned with farmers in mind. Fruit-bearing trees are planted along boundaries and bunds so that the main crop is not disturbed and the trees can eventually provide another source of income. In 2024, the work expanded considerably when the RBI Regional Director joined hands with her for the institution’s 90th anniversary.

 

Around 9,000 fruit-bearing and flowering trees were planted across 90 districts of Vidarbha in 90 days. The trees are not forgotten once the plantation is over. Javadekar continues to visit the sites, particularly after the monsoon, carries water and checks on them herself. 

 

Vaijayanti Jawadekar had carried out a plantation at Anand Vatika, a senior citizens’ facility under construction at Kapsi, and members of another organisation arrived with small mango saplings. Plantation at the facility had already been planned and arranged by her. She had arranged to plant 9-foot Champa trees and was bearing the expenses of the plantation along with Vaijayanti Subhedar. Javadekar said she had already arranged and funded the plantation at the facility and that her staff helped the visiting members plant their saplings as well. “We had allowed the organisation members to visit and plant their saplings in good faith,” she added. However, the group put up its banner and took photographs at the site next. “I was not aware and did not approve this without the permission of the owner,” she asserted. This was even followed by publicity initiated by them that presented the whole plantation as the organisation’s initiative. She clarified that she has no objection with their social service but did not approve principally that credit was taken for her work.