KrystleZiemba7: Started a article

2025-07-28T22:20:46Z

Started a article

New page

{{Short description|Environmentalist in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shyam Sunder Jyani
| image = ShyamSunderJyani.jpg
| birth_place = [[Sri Ganganagar]], [[Rajasthan]], India
| birth_date = 1979
| occupation = [[Associate Professor]], [[Environmentalist]]
| known_for = Familial Forestry movement
| awards = UNCCD Land for Life Award (2021)
| website = {{URL|familialforestry.org}}
}}
'''Shyam Sunder Jyani''' (born 1979<ref>{{cite news |title=On My Radar: Hema Malini Becomes 'Durga' In Varanasi |url=https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/radar-hema-malini-becomes-durga-varanasi |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=[[The Sunday Guardian]] |date=1 January 2022}}</ref>) is an Indian environmentalist and academic, and the founder of the Familial Forestry movement, a grassroots initiative aimed at ecological restoration and combating desertification. He is presently an associate professor of [[sociology]] at [[Dungar College|Government Dungar College]], [[Bikaner]] and is known for mobilizing millions of people in large-scale [[afforestation]] campaigns across [[Rajasthan]]. <ref>{{cite web |title=Government Dungar College, Bikaner – Faculty Profile |url=https://dungarcollege.ac.in/superadmin/uploads/mr_-shyam-suder-jyani.pdf |publisher=[[Dungar College]] |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>

==Biography==
Jyani was born into a rural farming family in the village of 12 TK in [[Sri Ganganagar district]], Rajasthan. <ref name="mongabay">{{cite news |title=Desert areas of Rajasthan bloom under afforestation efforts |url=https://india.mongabay.com/2021/06/desert-areas-of-rajasthan-bloom-under-afforestation-efforts/ |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=Mongabay India |date=28 June 2021}}</ref><ref name="diwali">{{cite news |title=For this Rajasthan village, green Diwali means shunning firecrackers, planting trees |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/for-this-rajasthan-village-green-diwali-means-shinning-firecrackers-planting-trees/story-A4nBklj3RvhyVEv71FPwHM.html |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=17 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref> His environmental work began in 2003, when he and a group of students revived several dying [[neem tree]]s on the campus of Dungar College, Bikaner.<ref name="gh">{{cite news |title=Green Hero: राजस्थान में हरियाली के लिए एक प्रोफ़ेसर 15 साल से लगा है, परिवारों को पेड़ों से जोड़ता है |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/hindi/environment/professor-jyani-who-plant-over-million-trees-in-western-rajasthan-505103.html |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=Indiatimes.com |date=2 October 2021 |language=hi}}</ref><ref name="bloom">{{cite news |last1=Dutta |first1=Prabhash K. |title=World Environment Day special: A sociology professor is making deserts bloom as forests in Rajasthan |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/world-environment-day-special-a-sociology-professor-is-making-deserts-bloom-as-forests-in-rajasthan-1685669-2020-06-05 |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=India Today |date=5 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="thar">{{cite news |last1=Zaffar |first1=Hanan |title=Meet the Tree Man of India's Thar desert |url=https://www.fairplanet.org/story/meet-the-tree-man-of-indias-thar-desert/ |access-date=22 March 2023 |work=FairPlanet |date=6 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Afterwards he extended the plantation activities to communities. <ref name="bloom"/>

=== Familial Forestry ===
In 2006, Jyani introduced the concept of Familial Forestry, a model of ecological restoration that encourages families and communities to plant and care for trees as part of their household and community as green members. The initiative began in [[Himtasar, Bikaner|Himtasar]] village and later expanded across thousands of villages in Rajasthan. The approach focuses on native and fruit-bearing species, promoting both environmental sustainability and nutritional security. <ref name="revolution">{{cite news |title=A sociology teacher in Rajasthan's Bikaner driving forestry revolution |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/a-sociology-teacher-in-rajasthan-s-bikaner-driving-forestry-revolution/story-3EDN1wsT7HRNb4PoL6izZI.html |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=4 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="boon">{{cite news |title=Familal Forest' a boon for Bikaner |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/familal-forest-a-boon-for-bikaner/articleshow/5293958.cms |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=3 December 2009 |language=en}}</ref> In order to further extend the campaign's reach, he entwined Familial Forestry activities with culture. <ref name="diwali" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Rajasthan embraces tree-planting as a custom, reaps gains |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/india/rajasthan-embraces-tree-planting-as-a-custom-reaps-gains/cid/1868422 |work=[[The Telegraph India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=FEATURE-Indian traditions entwine with trees in green drive to revive land |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/business/feature-indian-traditions-entwine-with-trees-in-green-drive-to-revive-land-idUSL5N2XF3RZ/ |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>
Key Highlights:

* Over 4 million saplings planted by 2024.
* Participation from more than 2 million families.
* Recognized by UNCCD as a model for sustainable land management. <ref>{{cite news |date=17 June 2021 |title=Indian climate activist gets prestigious UN land conservation award |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/indian-climate-activist-gets-prestigious-un-land-conservation-award-1816155-2021-06-17 |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=India Today}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Most of the plants and necessary irrigation tanks were purchased on his own expense. <ref name="mongabay" /><ref name="deccan">{{cite news |last1=Bhattacharya |first1=Imana |date=3 October 2019 |title=Saplings of change |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/031019/saplings-of-change.html |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |language=en}}</ref> In a 2021 interview with Deutsche Welle, he has also stated plans to expand tree-planting efforts to major cities. <ref>{{cite news |date=25 September 2021 |title=Familial Forestry in India: Caring for trees like they're family |url=https://www.dw.com/en/familial-forestry-in-india-caring-for-trees-like-theyre-family/a-59215321 |access-date=24 November 2021 |work=DW}}</ref>

=== Institutional Forests ===
To make campuses nature positive and restore commons through active participation of students and local communities he started developing institutional forest. Began with first instructional forest in his college campus in 2013 till date the number has crossed 200. These instructional forests developed in memorials of Mahatma Gandhi, Jasnath ji, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and other legendary leaders are thriving forests, growing future generations and regenerating nature. <ref name="deccan" /><ref name="bs">{{cite news |last1=Chatterjee |first1=Dev |date=24 January 2020 |title=Green wall of Bikaner: Professor plants trees to prevent desertification |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/rajasthan-professor-plants-fruit-trees-to-prevent-desertification-120012401110_1.html |access-date=19 November 2021 |work=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Climate-resilient urban forest offers hope amid heat action plan gaps |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/climate-resilient-urban-forest-offers-hope-amid-heat-action-plan-gaps/amp_articleshow/120318850.cms |work=[[The Times Of India]]}}</ref>

=== Promotion of millets ===
In 2023, the [[International Year of Millets]], Jyani began to promote the use of [[millets]], especially in traditional rituals such as marriage ceremonies and religious fairs. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/rajasthani-wedding-revives-rural-families-sweet-ties-with-millets/articleshow/100199027.cms|title=Rajasthani wedding revives rural families' sweet ties with millets|publisher=Times of India}}</ref> He also orchestrated an inaugural "Raabri Day" on 23 May 2023, with Raabri being a millet-based drink. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kisantak.in/knowledge/story/people-of-rajasthan-returning-to-their-roots-celebrating-rabri-day-and-promoting-millets-562375-2023-05-23|title=People of Rajasthan returning to their roots celebrating Rabri Day and promoting millets|publisher=Kisan Tak}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/rajasthan/bikaner/news/consumption-of-rabri-together-across-the-country-including-western-rajasthan-protest-against-cold-drinks-131317792.html|title=Consumption of Rabri together across the country including western Rajasthan, protest against cold drinks|publisher=Dainik Bhaskar}}</ref>

=== Public nurseries ===
Jyani has led [[Tree plantation|plantation]] of 4 million saplings by engaging over 2 million families from 18,000 villages mainly in Rajasthan and some from other neighbouring states and developed 200 Institutional forests by December 2024. <ref>{{Cite news |title=Limits of Tree Plantation Records: What About the Restoration of the Commons? |url=https://m.thewire.in/article/environment/limits-of-tree-plantation-records-what-about-the-restoration-of-the-commons/amp |work=[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]}}</ref>

Under his leadership a network of public nurseries, has been established that provide every year 2,00000 saplings of [[native species]] free of cost to the local communities. <ref>{{Cite news |title=A Small village in Rajasthan fights global warming big way |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/rajasthan-village-leads-innovative-fight-against-global-warming/articleshow/114896665.cms |work=[[The Times Of India]]}}</ref>

=== Dabla Talab restoration ===
In 2022, Jyani led the restoration of Dabla Talab, a 207-acre area of degraded land. Through community-driven habitat healing, the project transformed the barren land into a thriving ecosystem, demonstrating the effectiveness of collective [[environmental stewardship]]. <ref name=":1">{{Cite news |title=Healed scars |url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/mining/healed-scars |work=[[Down to Earth (magazine)|Down To Earth]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=70 साल बाद लौटी सबसे बड़ी बिल्ली, चूहे जैसा चमगादड़:एक प्रोफेसर ने बंजर जमीन में जिंदा कर दी 1500 खेजड़ी, हर पल माफिया के अटैक का डर |url=https://dainik.bhaskar.com/jQJvK9u9TRb |work=[[Dainik Bhaskar]]}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
In recognition of his work, he was awarded the Indira Gandhi [[National Service Scheme]] Award in 2012,<ref name="gh"/><ref name="deccan"/> and later the Land for Life Award from the [[United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification]] in 2021. <ref name="mongabay"/>

In recognition of his global impact, Professor Jyani was invited as a special guest to the 15th and 16th Conferences of the Parties (COP-15 and [https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/saudi-arabia-host-largest-ever-un-conference-land-and-drought COP-16]) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), where he showcased his expertise in sustainable land management. <ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=UN award for Rajasthan professor over 'Familial Forestry' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/un-award-for-rajasthan-professor-over-familial-forestry/articleshow/91560571.cms |work=[[The Times Of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ के आइवरी कोस्ट में होने वाले वैश्विक सम्मेलन में भाग लेंगे प्रोफेसर श्यामसुंदर ज्याणी |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/rajasthan/state/bikaner/professor-shyamsundar-jyani-will-participate-in-uno-global-conference-to-be-held-in-ivory-coast-bikaner/rj20220507174851992992561 |work=[[ETV Bharat]]}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:People from Sri Ganganagar district]]
[[Category:Indian environmentalists]]
[[Category:Rajasthan academics]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Desert greening conservationists]]
[[Category:1979 births]]

Shyam Sunder Jyani - Revision history

KrystleZiemba7: Started a article