DPS R.K. Puram welcomed ambassadors from Project YES – Youth for Environmental Stewardship, an initiative launched by the Wellspur Foundation and being implemented by Chintan, an environmental research and action group. The program aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to advocate for the well being of the planet. It works on a three-pillar approach: creating awareness, building advocacy, and taking meaningful action.
The session organized on December 4’ 2025 was conducted by Dr Dushyant Kumar, a field biologist. Mr. Avijit Sharma and Ms. Mehak Arora assisted the presentation. Together they guided the audience through a thought-provoking workshop. Dr. Dushyant Kumar threw light on the changing face of Delhi NCRs flora and fauna over the years. He spoke about the impact of loss of biodiversity upon climate, the water cycle, rainfall, ground water levels , soil erosion, landslides etc. Using impactful visuals , relatable examples and a documentary he illustrated the chain reaction that unfolds due to the loss of biodiversity.
He threw light on some common substances used at home and the plants that they were derived from e.g. gum /gond is derived from the Babool tree, the Jamun tree has its uses in treating diabetes etc.He also spoke about the restorative measures that are being carried out, various biodiversity parks that have been made and how they are bringing back the birds and animals that had started dwindling in numbers.He provoked the students to reflect on the environmental cost of their daily choices and ponder over the effects of loss of flora and fauna . He asked the students to dwell on the solutions to the catastrophic, man made decisions that are detrimental to the environment, solutions that are feasible, practical and can be implemented.
The interactive nature of the session kept students engaged. Discussions, queries and real-life case studies encouraged students to think critically. The session was organized and coordinated by Ms. Niva Chhonkar (HOD), Ms. Reema Khosla and Ms. Kajal Sethi of the Department of Biology.
