In a proud moment for India, a 17-year-old girl from Surat, Gujarat, has been appointed as Regional Ambassador for India by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Tunza Eco-Generation (TEG). The girl, Khushi Chindaliya, has been passionate about protecting the environment and raising awareness on the issue from a very young age. An avid nature lover and passionate environmentalist will work with the TEG on various environmental awareness programmes till February 2021.
She said that when she first shifted to her current house, she would see greenery all around and the trees around her house would shelter a number of birds. But when all that got replaced by a concrete jungle, she realised that her younger siblings would not get to enjoy the greenery the way she did. That is when she decided to start looking for ways to conserve nature. Her interest in the subject got her appointed as the Regional Ambassador. The honourable appointment will give Khushi a platform to spread awareness about the safeguard of environmental treasures and discuss India’s contribution to environmental conservation. She will also have the opportunity to discuss the subject with other ambassadors around the world.
During the lockdown, Khushi Chindaliya devoted her time working on the environment. She invested in understanding the causes of environmental degradation which would help her devise strategies to revive the damage. She is one of the many Indian youngsters who have represented the country on an international platform to spread awareness about climate change and the importance of environmental conservation. Khushi completed her schooling this year. She will join college from next year and plans to study Economic and Liberal Arts.
Amid the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the physical moment, she will be working on her online program. “This month I will be sharing reports and speaking on what my government is doing for the environment and how education can help arrest the decline. I get to interact with RAs from across the globe and understand situations in their part of the globe as well,” she added. Khushi is among the 100 young people of India whose essays have been chosen by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to be published in a book Year 1 AC (after coronavirus): Essays by young 100 Indians.
