From barren land to lush green Devrai

The inspiring journey of Nashik’s ‘Tree Man’ Shekhar Gaikwad Nashik: If a person sets their mind to it, they can make the impossible possible. A prime example of this is the 'Mountain Man' of Bihar, Dashrath Manjhi, who carved a road through a mountain using only a hammer and chisel. His life story was even adapted into a highly successful film. Such passionate personalities are found in many places, and Shekhar Gaikwad of Nashik is one of them. He has taken up the mission of making the city...

min read

The inspiring journey of Nashik’s ‘Tree Man’ Shekhar Gaikwad Nashik: If a person sets their mind to it, they can make the impossible possible. A prime example of this is the 'Mountain Man' of Bihar, Dashrath Manjhi, who carved a road through a mountain using only a hammer and chisel. His life story was even adapted into a highly successful film. Such passionate personalities are found in many places, and Shekhar Gaikwad of Nashik is one of them. He has taken up the mission of making the city green. Regardless of whether he receives help or not, he has continued his work. Dedicated to tree conservation for the past three decades, this enthusiast is known today as the 'Tree Man' of Nashik. He has planted more than 1.5 lakh trees. A mechanical engineer by profession, Shekhar Gaikwad always had a passion for the environment. This led him to start his afforestation work in 1998. He conducted an in-depth study of native species that are beneficial to the environment and launched plantation drives in various parts of Nashik. The most significant milestone in this journey is the 'Fashicha Dongar' (Hangman's Hill) area near Satpur. This historical hill, where freedom fighters were hanged during the British era, lay barren. It was covered with 'Gliricidia' trees, which degrade the soil quality. Taking it as a challenge, Shekhar Gaikwad sought permission from the Forest Department to transform this hill. On June 5, 2015, the site was named 'Devrai' (Sacred Grove). Since then, the hill began to turn lush green. Today, more than 35,000 trees of native species are thriving across this 100-acre expanse. This area is no longer just a forest but has become a 'Biodiversity Park' rich in life, providing a natural habitat for many birds and wildlife. The hill has now become a center for nature tourism. Gaikwad's devotion to nature is astounding. While managing his business, he spends every Saturday and Sunday in this Devrai without fail. He prioritises manual labour (Shramdaan) over family functions or weddings. Consequently, his friends and relatives now plan their events on days other than Saturday or Sunday. Initially, he had about 15 volunteers, but that number gradually decreased. Now, he carries out this work himself along with two security guards. Due to the dense forest, the presence of leopards has increased, and he often encounters snakes while working, yet his mission continues unabated. Without Aid Shekhar Gaikwad implements all his environmental projects solely through community participation, without any government or political assistance. The monthly expenditure, including the salaries of two security guards and other costs, amounts to approximately Rs 90,000. He manages this expense through his own funds and with the help of nature-loving citizens. Gaikwad does not stop at tree conservation; he loves animals and birds equally. He treats injured birds at his own expense. Today, due to the "concrete jungle," sparrows are on the verge of extinction. Therefore, he is also running a campaign to save sparrows. To provide them a space in homes, he creates sparrow nests and sells them on a 'no profit, no loss' basis. Gaikwad has also started a unique experiment of a 'Nature Library' within the Devrai forest. The library houses numerous books providing information on trees, grass, bamboo, shrubs, vines, birds, animals, snakes, butterflies, and bees.

India bears the brunt: Nifty crashes 1,100, Sensex nosedives 3,900 points after US trade shock

Correspondent
Apr 7, 2025
2 min read

India woke up to a financial jolt this morning as its equity markets suffered their steepest fall in nearly a year, shaken by the ripple effects of US President Donald Trump’s aggressive new tariff regime. The Sensex plunged over 3,900 points at opening bell, while the Nifty tumbled more than 1,100 points, dragging Indian stocks to a 10-month low.

This sharp decline follows a global equity rout triggered by Trump's protectionist measures, which have sent panic waves across Asia and raised the spectre of a global recession. Investors dumped shares in a massive sell-off, with Indian benchmarks reacting sharply in early trade. The Sensex dropped to 71,425.01 — down 3,939.68 points — while Nifty slipped to 21,743.65, marking a 3.5% slide from the last session.

Adding to the pressure, the Indian rupee depreciated 30 paise to open at 85.74 against the US dollar.

India Among the Hardest Hit

Trump’s latest tariff hike — framed as a push to restore fairness to global trade — has imposed country-specific duties that go as high as 50%. India has been slapped with a 26% tariff, while a 10% baseline duty applies to all nations. This has set alarm bells ringing among Indian exporters and traders already struggling with global demand volatility.

President Trump, unfazed by the financial carnage, likened the move to a bitter but necessary cure. “Sometimes you need the medicine to fix something,” he told reporters earlier today.

Analysts Urge Economic Safeguards

Market experts believe that India's current market turmoil isn't rooted in domestic issues but is rather a consequence of being tightly woven into global investment flows.

“India will face the heat, not due to domestic reasons, but as an interlinked chain in the global portfolio flows,” said Ajay Bagga, a noted market expert. “India will need a fiscal, monetary, and reform package to protect the domestic economy from this global economic winter that is threatening to settle in.”

Sunil Gurjar, SEBI-registered research analyst, warned that the Nifty50 index has breached its first support level and is approaching the next. "A further breakdown could worsen the trend and accelerate the fall," he cautioned.

Asian Markets Bleed

The tremors from Trump's announcement were first felt in Asia, with key markets suffering steep losses. China's stock markets fell over 4% amid retaliatory tariffs of 34% against the US. Hong Kong's Hang Seng nosedived more than 10%, while Japan’s Nikkei index fell 6.5% after plunging 8% earlier in the day. Taiwan saw a near-10% collapse, and Singapore dropped over 8%.

Wall Street Braces for Impact

US markets, though yet to open, appear set for a rough start. Futures contracts on the New York Stock Exchange are sharply down, suggesting heavy losses once trading resumes.

Market sentiment globally has turned bearish, with fears of a looming recession taking hold. Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management described the scene as “free-fall mode,” noting, “Trump’s team isn’t blinking. The tariffs are being treated as a victory lap, not a bargaining chip.”