Sayaji Shinde planted more than 6.5 lakh trees across Maharashtra to keep his mother's memory alive: 'I wanted to go beyond fame'

Sayaji Shinde, known for films such as 'Shool', 'Sarkar Raj', and 'Sanju', has planted more than 6.5 lakh trees across Maharashtra through his environmental movement, Sahyadri Devrai. The actor said the work began with his love for his mother and later grew into a larger effort to restore green cover. He first planted 2,000 trees in his village before expanding the initiative to several locations.The Indian Express reported that Sayaji Shinde opened up about his journey in conversations with Uncut and Ashish Vidyarthi on the actor’s YouTube channel. Shinde was born into a farmer’s family in Maharashtra’s Satara district. His family lost its land in 1978 when the government acquired it for a dam project.“The government ripped people off their money. They took our land in 1978 and they gave us a replacement in 2022,” Shinde recalled while speaking to Uncut.Before entering films, Shinde worked as a watchman in the irrigation department. He later built a career in cinema, but said fame alone did not satisfy him.“Everybody wants to earn name and fame. But I wanted to go beyond that,” he said during his conversation with Ashish Vidyarthi.Shinde said the idea took shape in 2016 during a drought-like situation in Maharashtra. He saw villagers sitting in an open field under the harsh sun with no trees around them.“When we went to help villagers, we saw a huge meeting being held in an open field under the scorching sun. There was not a single tree anywhere. That is when it struck me, the first step to helping villages was planting trees.”His mother was 92 at the time. “I realised I could not keep my mother with me till my last breath. She was already 92, and I loved her the most in this world,” he said.Shinde then decided to weigh her against seeds and plant them across Maharashtra. He believed the trees would keep her memory alive through their flowers, fruits, shade, and fragrance.Through Sahyadri Devrai, Shinde now works across 48 locations. He has also helped transplant more than 200 banyan trees and plans to turn his land into a nursery for more saplings.