As a child, Marimuthu Yoganathan, grew up enjoying poetry under the trees of Kotagiri forests. He recalls walking with his friends through the lush green forests in this area back then. Yoganathan, shares with SimpliCity that he loved nature as a child and shares with us a few instances when he put up a fight with the people who chopped trees for their wood and for commercial activities. This passion for nature and love for trees remains unchanged so much so that today, this 48-year old bus conductor by profession, an eco-warier by passion, is better known as the tree man of the south. He shares with us that till date he has planted 3,20,000 saplings in and around Coimbatore.
For the last three decades Yoganathan has been planting saplings in and around Coimbatore. “The aim should be one person should plant at least one sapling. This will help in bringing rains. Several birds build their nests on trees and trees give shade to human beings too.” Yoganathan says.
This eco-warier reaches out to school children and lends them a helping hand in planting trees In order to encourage several people to participate in the green movement. He has delivered guest lecturers in several colleges reaching this message of creating a greener city to several lakh students. A native of Coimbatore and bus conductor by profession, Yoganathan dedicates all his free time towards planting saplings in and around our city. He continues to set aside about 40% of his monthly salary towards this cause. He is employed as bus conductor of S-26 bus of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Coimbatore (TNSTC).
A recipient of several awards including, Eco Warrior Award – 2008, Earth Matter Award – 2008, Tamil Nadu State Award – 2010, Unsung Hero – 2011 and Real Hero Award From CNN-IBN, Yoganathan leaves us saying “Every human being must take up the responsibility of planting at least one tree before they leave this earth.”