At age 22, Adesh Soni set a personal goal to plant 10 million trees across India, beginning the effort in extreme heat with limited resources and using his own savings to purchase saplings.
Despite early skepticism, he continued planting through harsh summers, heavy rains and numerous setbacks, with support from his parents.
The individual effort gradually attracted volunteers and evolved into an organized initiative called Touch for Earth, which focuses on involving children in direct environmental action.
To date, the movement has planted more than 1.4 million native trees in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
More than 200,000 children have received saplings and been encouraged to nurture them, providing experiential learning about nature and climate.
In areas where the native trees have taken root, biodiversity has increased with the return of birds, butterflies and bees, and previously barren spaces now provide shade.
Soni states that the 1.4 million trees represent progress rather than completion, and the 10 million target remains active.
The project illustrates how a large-scale environmental movement can begin with a single individual's sustained commitment rather than institutional backing.
They Called His 1 Crore-Tree Dream Impossible. 14 Lakh Trees Later, He’s Still Planting
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