New Delhi: The Education Ministry marked World Environment Day with the launch of Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0, an initiative aimed at deepening the environmental consciousness among students and integrating sustainability into everyday learning. The launch event, held in New Delhi, was led by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and attended by key dignitaries, including Minister of State for Education and DoNER Dr Sukanta Majumdar, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, Department of School Education and Literacy Secretary Sanjay Kumar, and NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani.
At the heart of the initiative is a simple but emotionally resonant idea: plant a tree in the name of your mother. This year’s campaign expands the scale and ambition, introducing special modules for various school stages, Eco Clubs on the Mission LiFE portal, and a dedicated microsite for Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0.
"Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE in schools will sensitize students to concerns related to environment and climate change," said Dharmendra Pradhan. "Next generation must be guided in achieving Net Zero 2070 and Sustainable Development Goals."
The newly launched modules for Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary stages are designed to build environmental consciousness in young learners by drawing emotional and thematic parallels between motherhood and Mother Earth. Activities range from hands-on assignments to puzzles and QR-coded flora mapping, encouraging children to become active contributors in the fight against climate change.
The minister highlighted the government’s push under NEP 2020 to make environmental education mainstream. “India has never been a polluting nation. Indian civilization considers the entire world as one family,” Pradhan said, adding that the aim is to plant 10 crore trees this year, double the count from last year. “Everyone should play their role,” he said, urging the public to upload selfies with saplings on http://ecoclubs.education.gov.in.
Earlier in the day, he planted a sapling at his residence to lead by example.
Dr Sukanta Majumdar used the occasion to reflect on the Indian worldview, contrasting it with Western notions of dominating nature. “As India walks confidently on the path of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, our ecological conscience must remain at the heart of this journey,” he said. He credited the National Education Policy 2020 for its push to create ‘Pro-Planet Persons’ through experiential learning.
Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood called the campaign a training module that combines emotion, science, and sustainability. “World Environment Day presents both challenges and opportunities... the opportunity is to address it by changing our lifestyles,” he said.
Sanjay Kumar urged all schools to form Eco Clubs under Mission LiFE by 29 July 2025, marking the fifth anniversary of NEP 2020. He stressed the importance of the seven themes of Mission LiFE in promoting mindful resource usage.
The newly launched Eco Clubs portal now covers over 14.7 lakh schools and is available in multiple languages. Each school gets its own dashboard to track and upload environmental activities. The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0 microsite, integrated into the portal, allows students to submit selfies with planted saplings and receive e-certificates. The microsite also compiles real-time data to track the campaign's reach and outcomes.
With the push for 10 crore saplings and an education-led movement for sustainability, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0 is positioning environmental responsibility not as a chore, but as a cultural and emotional commitment.
BI Bureau
