Rakesh Saha: Meghalaya’s Climate Champion
Discover the inspiring journey of Rakesh Saha, a young lad from Meghalaya’s New Bhaitbari village, recognised as one of India’s 30 Climate Champions by UNICEF. Learn how he’s driving climate education and action among youth with his National Youth Climate Consortium fellowship.
I sometimes feel I know magic. No, really! Let me tell you why. The moment I catch a whiff of news from Shillong or anywhere in Meghalaya, my pen springs to life. It’s as if my words have a mind of their own, conjuring the very streets of Shillong right under my nose. Take the latest news from New Bhaitbari village in West Garo Hills. A young chap by the name of Rakesh Saha has only gone and bagged himself a rather prestigious title—one of the 30 Climate Champions of Young India, no less! This honour was handed to him by none other than UNICEF India and YuWaah, after what I hear was a selection process that would make the X Factor auditions look like a stroll in the park, with over 1,200 hopefuls from across the country.
And there I was, just a few lines into the story, when the magic happened. My pen began dancing across the page, as if guided by some invisible force, and before I knew it, I was sharing this remarkable tale with you.
Rakesh, the son of retired teacher Pradip Ch. Saha, is set to embark on a six-month National Youth Climate Consortium fellowship, where he’ll be focusing on climate education amongst the youth in Meghalaya. Now, that’s no small feat. He’ll be rallying the troops, as it were, to raise awareness about the environment and encouraging young people to get stuck into sustainable practices.
What’s more, he’s no stranger to academia. With a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Don Bosco College in Tura, and a Master’s from Mizoram University, this lad’s got brains to boot. But it’s his passion for wildlife conservation that really sets him apart. He’s already racked up a few wins in state-level competitions, including one with the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society Quiz. I mean, how’s that for a resume?
But it’s not all about trophies and accolades for Rakesh. He’s rolled up his sleeves and been busy with environmental education, organising programmes for school kids and local youth. And if that wasn’t enough, he even attended the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) 2024 in Mysore and completed a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme in Dehradun. You could say he’s a bit of a climate crusader in the making.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be selected as a Climate Champion,” Rakesh said. “I’m excited to use this platform to educate and engage young minds in climate action. My goal is to inspire others to take proactive steps in environmental conservation.”
There you have it—young Rakesh, leading the charge in a world that desperately needs climate heroes. And there’s me, still marvelling at the magic of it all, as my pen continues to scribble away, filling the air with the scent of Shillong’s streets. Isn’t it funny how some places, and some people, have that effect?
Cover Picture Sources Hub News.
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