While most children immersed themselves in fun and frolic this summer, one young girl in Class 5 at PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kurud, chose to walk a different path – a green, life-affirming one. Meet Khushika Sahu, a bright-eyed student from Bhainsmundi, Magarlod, whose humble yet remarkable initiative has become a resounding lesson in environmental stewardship.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Khushika was felicitated by Sarita Behnji, Zonal Coordinator of the Agriculture and Rural Development Wing of Brahma Kumaris, Indore Zone, during a recent awareness programme.

Her presence at such a platform resonated as a reminder that even the youngest voices can echo loud in the corridors of change.With tender hands and a determined spirit, she singlehandedly planted over 1,000 papaya saplings and 1,500 black turmeric plants, each a silent promise to a greener tomorrow. Her aim is heartfelt and clear: to gift these plants to her classmates .

Her father Tumanchand Sahu, an officer in the Income Tax Department and a committed environmentalist himself, proudly reflects on his daughter’s initiative: “I have always believed that connecting children to nature from an early age sows values that last a lifetime. Both education and ecology are vital to life, and if this realisation begins in childhood, the future will inevitably be greener. I am proud that Khushika is walking the same path and contributing to a cause I have long lived by.”