New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- In a heartwarming tribute to both motherhood and Mother Earth, more than 75 ambassadors, high commissioners, and foreign delegates from over 72 countries gathered at Delhi Ridge on Thursday to plant saplings under the global edition of Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0. The programme, organised as part of Sewa Pakhwada to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday, turned into a rare moment of global solidarity for climate action.
Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav called the initiative "a very big event for the entire world," adding, "With the Prime Minister's call for Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, we are reminded that protecting the planet is a shared responsibility. So many ambassadors and high commissioners were deeply emotional while planting saplings in their mothers' names. Under Sewa Pakhwada, my ministry is planting 7.5 crore saplings across the country on September 25."
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta highlighted Delhi's green achievements, noting, "Delhi's green cover has increased by 25 per cent, the highest among all states. Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam is not just a campaign but a people's movement. Every tree planted in the name of our mothers is a symbol of love, life, and care. The challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution know no borders, and hence require us to work together globally." She described the plantation drive as "a festival of remembering our mothers while protecting Mother Earth."
Delhi's environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the occasion marked "a proud moment for India," remarking, "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam has today become a global movement with more than 75 ambassadors and high commissioners planting 75 saplings with their loved ones on the Prime Minister's 75th birthday. This is a testament to his global leadership and the world's faith in his appeal."
The event was filled with emotional moments. One foreign diplomat broke down while recalling her late mother and embraced CM Gupta in tears. Omani ambassador Issa Saleh Alshibani praised the effort, saying, "This is not strange to India, which has been supporting the environment for a very long time. This is an initiative the world needs today, especially in the face of climate change."
Delegates from Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Russia, Spain, Brazil, Jamaica, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and many more made the plantation drive a truly global celebration of India's spirit and the Prime Minister's vision.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.