Walkman of India - Suresh Daniel

Walking for a cause: Suresh Daniel 3,800-km journey aims at empowering Environmental awareness (Societal Feature)

    

Eleven states, 3,800 kms and 260 days. One man is on a mission to cover the entire stretch from Kanyakumari to Kashmir -- on foot, and all alone. Meet Suresh Daniel who has taken up this mission to create awareness about the environment and swacch Bharath awareness on cleanlines in India.

Suresh, had a dream job and was living in Singapore. However, a Heart breaking incident in which a 16.500 tress will be cutted in Delhi 2018 for house development
project,  this news left a deep impact on him. He decided to give up his high profile job and created Walk for a movement which aims to create awareness among people and planting the trees and gifting the trees in India.

"I would feel feared at the fact that India is not considered to be a worst environment place for People. This thought would often make me feel angry. I wanted to do something for People in India," Suresh.

"I do not have any experience as a social worker. I came back to India and talked to my family and friends about my plan. I hail from an middle class background, and my Family and friends were extremely supportive of the whole idea," financially he added.

But before he plunged into his mission, Suresh had to dedicate a few months preparing himself for the journey. He had to undergo some extensive physical training by walking 5 to 10 km per day to find trial and errors, his physical capable to walk -- before he started off.

Suresh had to prepare himself mentally as well.

" He had to research a lot and talk to as many people who have multiple years of experience in the field of social work. He used to sit with his friends with a huge mapu of India and chalk out places he would cover,"  And he started on his own money with small investment,  Suresh mentioned.

Starting his journey on July 27, 2018. From Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Suresh is walking through the states like Tamilnadu, Karnataka,  Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Hyderabad Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi, Srinagar, and in Kashmir he will be ending his journey.

On the road, his target is to cover 25 km to 30 km every
day. However, the walk is not his sole aim. He conducts workshops in villages for men and women organises sessions in schools and colleges to make the people aware of the Environment cause on the use of plastics and gives talk about Swacch Bharath mission. And difficulties faced by people when environment is damaged and cleanliness within people. And he recommends and distrubutes  cotton bags instead of plastic covers. 

"The workshops are not just meant for students but for men and women as well;  He feels it is equally important for them as well to believe in Environmental problems. It is necessary to bridge the awareness in planting tress and stop using plastics in our surroundings," he said.

Talking about his experience till now, he said the journey has given him an opportunity to closely associate himself with people the realities and truths about the socio-environment crisis that is faced by India.

"A number of factors like real estate , many government and private construction projects, lack of planting and replanting the tress after cutting it. lack in concern towards environment truths that I have encountered till now," he said.

Suresh said his journey till date is no less than a "logistical nightmare".

"It is both mentally and physically very draining. I meet more than 50 -60 people every day in national highway talk to them, about Swachh Bharath abhiyan discuss environment issues and try to come up with solutions; and I plant trees and also I gift them trees.  All this requires a lot of mental strength. Then comes the physical part, even if I am extremely tired, the next morning I am again charged up to resume the walk," he explained.

What inspires him to continue walking?

"It is the love and support of people at all the places I have covered.  love and passion towards Nature keeps me going. Till date, I have met more than 25,000 people, some of them didn't have good thoughts on me. But I got great support for my work from the local people and hope to carry it forward in my life," he explained.

Asked how hopeful he is of his mission bringing about change in society, Suresh Daniel voiced confidence.

"I don't know how many lives have been changed or whether I have been able to bring about change, but every time an individual called me, it made me feel that I am working in right direction. Change is over time, I have sowed the seed and now will have to wait for the change," he commented.
His goal is to plant 10.000 tress and issue 10.000 cotton bags in this journey, He says let's all join together to beat plastic and plant trees.