Mumbai, November 27, 2025: Flipkart Foundation, the charitable arm of the Flipkart Group, has partnered with WWF-India to launch a state-wide environmental education programme, Vasundhara Mitr – Young Conservation Leaders of the Eco Clubs of Maharashtra. Supported by the Social Forestry Division of the Maharashtra Forest Department, the initiative aims to strengthen school-based Eco Clubs and promote youth-led environmental action across all 36 districts of Maharashtra.
The 15-month programme will engage around 1.5 lakh students from Classes 5 to 9 and 6,000 educators, including 72 master trainers. It will also establish 3,000 Green Schools designed to advance environmental education, sustainable practices, and conservation-oriented activities, with an estimated outreach of more than 9.3 lakh people including families and community members.
The initiative was officially launched in Nagpur on 7 November in the presence of senior officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department, WWF-India representatives, and the Flipkart Foundation team. Training of Trainers workshops have already been conducted across Pune, Thane, Nashik, Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, and Amravati to equip educators with interactive learning tools and facilitation techniques for school Eco Clubs.
Mr. Vivek Khandekar IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Maharashtra Forest Department, said, “The Vasundhara Mitr programme embodies the vision of nurturing environmental stewardship and sustainable development through education and community participation. It strongly aligns with the Government’s Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasize integrating environmental consciousness into everyday learning. By bringing our conservation ethos into classrooms, Vasundhara Mitr empowers students and educators to become proactive guardians of their natural surroundings. We appreciate the efforts taken by Flipkart Foundation and WWF-India, in transforming this vision into meaningful action across Maharashtra.”
The programme encourages environmental awareness through activity-based learning, including projects such as composting, tree tagging, waste segregation, water-quality testing, and community-driven Green Audits. Educators trained under the programme will guide these initiatives to ensure long-term engagement within schools and surrounding communities.
Commenting on the collaboration, Sarah Gideon, Vice President, Communications and Flipkart Foundation, said, “At Flipkart Foundation, we believe that fostering environmental consciousness begins with education and action at the grassroots level. Through this partnership we aim to empower young minds to understand, respect, and protect our environment. By nurturing curiosity and leadership among students, we hope to inspire a generation that not only learns about sustainability but lives it every day.”
Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India, added, “The Vasundhara Mitr programme seeks to nurture an environmentally conscious generation by deepening their connection with nature, building their capacity for curiosity, self-learning and problem-solving. By equipping educators and students with the tools and skills to take meaningful action, this partnership will help strengthen eco-clubs in the schools under the National Green Corps (NGC) scheme across 36 districts of Maharashtra and inspire innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”
The collaboration aims to promote environmental responsibility, community-led conservation action, and long-term sustainability practices across schools and communities in Maharashtra.
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