Lucknow, Sep 25 (Inditop.com) After becoming the first Indian teenager to address the United Nations General Assembly on global climate change, Lucknow girl Yugratna Srivastava aims to notch another first – plant one million trees in the country.
“It would be history in the true sense if I manage to accomplish my big plan of planting one million trees in my country,” Yugratna, who arrived here Friday from the US, told reporters.
“I told the top world leaders and environmentalists about my big plan during the summit held Tuesday in New York and even submitted a copy of it to the executive director of the United Nations,” she added.
Asked how she would transform her plan into reality, the 13-year-old, a student of Class 9, replied: “Primarily with the support of children in different regions of the country I want to get my plan executed. Of course, assistance from government agencies will also be required.”
Speaking of her experience at the summit, Yugratna said: “For me it was a great opportunity… awesome. I think the opportunity I got comes once in a million times… Infact, I cannot put my feelings into words.”
“You can yourself gauge the thrill and the excitement, if you have US President Barack Obama listening to your speech. I just cannot describe the feeling of sitting close to former US vice-president Al Gore and Noble laureate R.K. Pachauri.”
In her three-minute speech at the summit, Yugratna called upon world leaders and politicians to work together to save mother earth. “I asked them that If we can work together for security and peace, then why not for climatic changes as they affect us all.”
Yugratna, who claims to be “crazy about the environment”, wants to make a career either in astrophysics and astronomy. “From the professional point of view, the two fields interest me.”
A student of St. Fidelis College in Lucknow, Yugratna has her ideal in Kalpana Chawla.
She was given a rousing welcome at her school. Not only students, even the teachers jostled for space to have their photo taken with the girl.
“What Yugratna has done is excellent. We are proud of her. She has brought our college on the international map,” college principal Father Basil told reporters.
rounak