by Suman Gupta
_The World Environment Day 2026 Tree Plantation Drive brought together Bhamla Foundation, Ish Patil, DYPIS alumna Saher Bhamla and leading public voices, placing students at the centre of a city-facing environmental initiative._
Mumbai, 25 May 2026: D Y Patil International School, Worli (DYPIS, Worli) today hosted the #NowForClimate World Environment Day 2026 Tree Plantation Drive, bringing climate action into the daily life of a school campus through student participation, tree plantation activity and public engagement.
Organised in association with Bhamla Foundation and campaign partners including Godrej Industries, the initiative brought together students, educators, public figures, civic representatives and institutional leaders around a simple but urgent idea: climate responsibility has to be learnt early, practised locally and made visible.
Actor, entrepreneur and wellness advocate Shilpa Shetty joined the initiative alongside Dr. Ajeenkya D Y Patil, Chairman of the Ajeenkya D Y Patil Group. Ish Patil also participated in the drive, representing a next-generation voice within the education family and connecting the Group’s institutional legacy with the larger question of how schools prepare students for the world beyond academics.
One of the most meaningful moments at the event was the return of Saher Bhamla to DYPIS, Worli. As an alumna of the school and part of Bhamla Foundation’s climate work, her presence gave the campaign a
full-circle dimension: a former student returning to her own campus to engage current students in an issue that directly shapes their future.
For DYPIS, Worli, the drive placed environmental learning in a setting students could immediately understand.
A sapling planted on campus is not an abstract policy idea; it is a visible act of care, continuity and responsibility. The event reflected the school’s broader emphasis on participation, resilience, leadership and contribution to society.
Mumbai gives the campaign immediate relevance. Heat, air quality, density and shrinking green cover are not distant concerns for the city; they are part of everyday life. By bringing a public climate initiative into a school environment, DYPIS, Worli created a student-facing model of climate awareness that is local, practical and easy to carry forward.
The event drew participation from prominent names across public life, media, entertainment, wellness and civic leadership, including Faye D’Souza, Yasmin Karachiwala, Kanika Kapoor, Neeti Mohan, Pankaja Munde,
Jaykumar Rawal, Lakshmi Manchu, Chhaya Momaya, Humaira Kaazi and other invited guests.
“At DYPIS, Worli, education is not limited to examinations or classroom achievement. We want our students to grow into young people who understand their responsibility to the wider world. A tree plantation drive like #NowForClimate gives them a real, practical moment to experience leadership, participation and care for the larger society, ” said Kinnari Shah, Principal, D Y Patil International School, Worli.
“Schools have an important role in helping students connect values with action. When students participate in an initiative like this, they are not just hearing about sustainability; they are seeing how responsibility can become part of everyday life, ” said Ish Patil.
“For me, returning to DYPIS, Worli for #NowForClimate is deeply personal. This is where many of my early values were shaped, and it is meaningful to come back with Bhamla Foundation to work with students on climate action. Planting a tree may look simple, but it can become a powerful first step in how young people think about the future,
” said Saher Bhamla, Bhamla Foundation.
The #NowForClimate Tree Plantation Drive included student participation, sapling plantation, guest interactions
and campus-led climate activity, reinforcing DYPIS, Worli’s effort to connect education with environmental responsibility and community participation
