Popular actor Sayaji Shinde, who left an indelible mark with his performances in films like ‘Shool’ and ‘Sarkar Raj’, has started an inspiring environmental campaign known as Sahyadri Devrai. This initiative has successfully planted more than 650,000 trees across Maharashtra, all driven by Shinde’s deep love for his mother and his strong determination to address local drought issues.
Sayaji Shinde, known for films like ‘Shool’, ‘Sarkar Raj’ and ‘Sanju’, has planted over 6.5 lakh trees across Maharashtra through his environmental movement, Sahyadri Devrai.
The actor said that the work began with his love for his mother and later developed into a greater effort to restore the green cover. He first planted 2,000 trees in his village before expanding the initiative to include several locations.
Sayaji Shinde’s tree planting trip in Maharashtra
The Indian Express reported that Sayaji Shinde spoke about his journey in conversations with Uncut and Ashish Vidyarthi on the actor’s YouTube channel. Shinde was born into a farmer family in Satara district of Maharashtra.
His family lost their land in 1978 when the government acquired it for a dam project.“The government stole people’s money. They took our land in 1978 and gave us a replacement in 2022,” Shinde recalls while speaking to Uncut.Before entering the world of cinema, Shinde worked as a guard in the irrigation department. He later built a career in cinema, but said that fame alone did not satisfy him.“Everyone wants to earn name and fame. But I wanted to go further,” he said during his conversation with Ashish Vidyarthi.
How Sayaji Shinde honored his mother with trees
Shinde said the idea took shape in 2016 during a drought-like situation in Maharashtra. He saw the villagers sitting in an open field under the harsh sun with no trees around them.“When we went to help the villagers, we saw a big meeting being held in an open field under the hot sun. There was not a single tree anywhere. That’s when it struck me that the first step to helping the villages was planting trees.”His mother was 92 years old at the time. “I realized that I could not keep my mother with me until my last breath.
She was 92 years old, and I loved her more than I ever had in this world.Shinde then decided to weigh it with seeds and grow it all over Maharashtra. It was believed that trees would keep her memory alive through their flowers, fruits, shade, and scent.Through Sahyadri Devrai, Shinde now operates in 48 locations. He also helped plant more than 200 banyan trees and plans to turn his land into a nursery for more seedlings.
