India, July 31 -- In October 2023, saplings were planted at Nehru Park in New Delhi's diplomatic enclave Chanakyapuri to mark India's year-long G20 presidency, seen as a reflection of the country's ascendance on the global stage. Envoys and representatives of the member nations planted saplings of national significance after the leaders of the G20 nations gathered in New Delhi for the grandest event the city had hosted since the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

A chinar, perhaps Delhi's lone such tree, now stands out among those planted in 2023 at the park under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) jurisdiction. It has defied the adverse hot weather and grown 10 feet high two years after the French envoy planted it. The chinar also survived an...