Source : Indian Express
Chef Vikas Khanna launched his 28th book ‘A Tree Named Ganga’ and led the campaign ‘Gift a Tree’, with more than 250 schoolchildren by planting saplings in Delhi.
Chef Vikas Khanna, a film-maker, humanitarian and the judge of MasterChef India, has not only struck the right note with his food recipes but his fiction stories too. In no mood to stop, the award-winning Michelin-starred restaurateur and cookbook writer unveiled his new book A Tree Named Ganga on November 16. Joining hands with Delhi’s Smile Foundation as part of Tropicana’s ‘Gift a Tree’ initiative, the event saw more than 250 schoolchildren planting saplings in the city.
Giving lessons to the little ones about the importance of planting trees, he encouraged them to learn the virtue of giving, making them promise to become “responsible young guardians of nature”. He also shed light on examples from the book. “For me trees have always been an inspiration as they teach us to give without expecting anything in return….I’m excited to share this experience of planting trees with children… who are our future generation. Through the story of A Tree Named Ganga, I’ve made an honest effort to help children understand the value of staying humble and the essence of giving,” he said.
This is the chef’s 28th book, and it revolves around the story of a seed that grows into a tree with everyone’s love and support. Due to its arrogance it loses all its friends before going on to finally learning the greatest lesson of life – read the book to find out what that is.
The tree plantation drive saw children from Delhi International School and Health and Care Society planting trees at the NGO’s Aarohan – Mission Education Centre in Malviya Nagar.
Highlighting children’s role in social transformation, Santanu Mishra of Smile Foundation said that sensitising children can make “lifelong difference to the environment…Children are the future of our country. With their unprejudiced minds and unique way of seeing the world, they are a powerful resource to initiate social transformation. If we sensitise them about environmental issues from an early age, they develop positive habits that will make a lifelong difference to the environment.”
The fruit-based beverage brand, which has partnered with the ‘Rally for Rivers’ and grow-trees.com, has pledged to plant over 25,000 trees.
