At the third edition of the Eco-Warrior Awards 2025, held at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on September 11, India’s top Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers were honored for their unparalleled contributions to environmental conservation. The event, coinciding with National Forest Martyrs Day, celebrated both legacy and innovation in forest management.
Among the evening’s most inspiring moments was the felicitation of Uttar Pradesh’s mega afforestation campaign under the initiative “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”, which has seen over 210 crore trees planted across the state since 2017. Receiving the Innovative Initiatives Award on behalf of the state was Mr Sunil Chaudhary, 1989 batch IFS officer and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Uttar Pradesh.
“Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”: From Slogan to Mass Movement
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day, June 5, 2024, the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign quickly transformed from a slogan into a people’s movement. While the initiative spans the nation, Uttar Pradesh emerged as the frontrunner, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath personally spearheading the effort.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, PCCF Sunil Chaudhary revealed the scale, science, and spirit behind this green revolution.
“A tree plantation program has been done on a very large scale in Uttar Pradesh – in a completely scientific and well-planned way,” he said. “This mass movement is a result of the powerful emotional connect behind the slogan ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’. It’s a beautiful call to plant a tree in your mother’s name – and also for our mother earth.”
210 Crore Trees and Counting: A Green Transformation
Between 2017 and 2024, Uttar Pradesh added over 5 lakh acres of forest cover, planting 237 crore saplings so far, with a target of 275 crore over five years. In 2024 alone, 52 crore trees were planted, including a record-breaking 37 crore saplings in a single day on July 9.
“This is not just a campaign, it is a green revolution,” Mr Chaudhary remarked. “Our Hon’ble Chief Minister has led from the front. He personally participated in 22 plantation programs and addressed 58,000 Gram Pradhans via VC to mobilize communities.”
The campaign has brought together all sections of society – from farmers and students to government officials and citizens. Over 1900 nurseries produced 54 crore saplings, distributed through 26 departments across the state.
Ensuring Survival: Scientific Monitoring and Technological Integration
Tree plantation at such a massive scale often faces one critical challenge: tree survival. But Uttar Pradesh has turned this into a strength through strategic planning and technology-driven monitoring.
“We manage it scientifically,” Chaudhary explained. “Each sapling is geo-tagged. We have a command-and-control center that tracks progress, and third-party monitoring is being done by FSI and FRI, Dehradun. Deficiencies are immediately corrected through replantation.”
The department has used drones for aerial seeding, and developed a dedicated IT cell to track each plantation site with polygon mapping and ML files, making real-time data publicly accessible online.
Mobilizing Millions: Turning Tree Plantation into a Festival
What makes this drive truly unprecedented is its mass public participation. The Forest Department, under Chaudhary’s leadership, adopted a theme-based approach – planting trees in the memory of national heroes like Birsa Munda, Sardar Patel, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee – thereby building emotional and cultural connections with people.
“This is a mega operation, and strategy is key. When our Hon’ble CM speaks to the people directly – MPs, MLAs, CDOs, Pradhans – it inspires action. That’s why people are coming forward voluntarily in crores,” he shared.
Technology at the Core of Transformation
The department’s integration of cutting-edge technology is helping it achieve goals with precision and transparency.
“Without technology, proving the impact of such a campaign is difficult,” said Chaudhary. “We use geo-tagging, drones, satellite imagery, and a central IT platform to track plantations in real-time. It’s a model of modern forest governance.”
From tiger tracking in Dudhwa and Pilibhit to sapling monitoring across the state, tech is central to all operations.
Vision 2030: From Green Cover to Green Legacy
Looking ahead, Mr. Chaudhary outlines an ambitious roadmap for the department – aiming to increase Uttar Pradesh’s green cover to 15%, aligned with national afforestation policy.
“Our green cover is currently 9.96%. Under the guidance of our CM and PM, we are determined to reach 15% in the next 4-5 years,” he stated. “It’s not just about planting trees – it’s about protecting them, nurturing them, and inspiring generations to do the same.”
A Role Model for the Nation
Under Mr Chaudhary’s stewardship, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department has transformed tree plantation into a participative, transparent, and sustainable movement. What started as a campaign has now evolved into a model for the nation, one tree – and one emotion – at a time.
“When you plant a tree in your mother’s name, you don’t forget it,” Mr. Chaudhary concluded with a smile. “You protect it, you nurture it – and that’s what makes this initiative so powerful.”
Awards and Recognition
The Innovative Initiatives Award at the Eco-Warrior Awards 2025 stands as a fitting tribute – not just to the campaign, but to the vision and dedication of officers like IFS Sunil Chaudhary, who continue to redefine what it means to serve both nature and nation.
