Flipkart Foundation, WWF-India Partner to Strengthen Eco Clubs Across Maharashtra
Chennai: Flipkart Foundation, the charitable arm of the Flipkart Group, has joined hands with World Wide Fund for Nature – India (WWF-India) to launch Vasundhara Mitr – Young Conservation Leaders of the Eco Clubs of Maharashtra, a state-wide environmental education programme aimed at fostering responsibility and action among school students.
Supported by the Social Forestry Division of the Maharashtra Forest Department, the 15-month initiative will engage 1.5 lakh students from Classes 5–9 and 6,000 educators across all 36 districts of Maharashtra. It will establish 3,000 Green Schools, promoting eco-friendly practices and youth-led conservation efforts that are expected to benefit more than 9.3 lakh individuals, including families and community members.
Launch and Training
The programme was formally launched in Nagpur on November 7 in the presence of senior officials from the Maharashtra Forest Department, WWF-India, and Flipkart Foundation. Training of Trainers workshops held in Pune, Thane, Nashik, Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, and Amravati equipped educators from all districts with interactive modules to guide Eco Clubs in schools.
Voices from the Initiative
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 through education and community participation. It aligns with Mission LiFE and the National Education Policy 2020, empowering students and educators to become proactive guardians of their surroundings.”
Sarah Gideon, Vice President, Communications, Flipkart Foundation, noted: “Fostering environmental consciousness begins with education at the grassroots. This partnership aims to empower young minds to not only learn about sustainability but live it every day.”
Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India, added: “By equipping educators and students with tools to take meaningful action, Vasundhara Mitr will strengthen eco-clubs under the National Green Corps scheme and inspire innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”
Activities and Impact
Students will participate in projects such as tree tagging, composting, waste segregation, water-quality testing, and nature observation. Community initiatives will include Green Audits and awareness campaigns on key environmental days. Educators will be supported with structured training resources and measurement tools to ensure long-term adoption of environmental education across the state.
Shared Vision
The collaboration reflects the shared commitment of Flipkart Foundation and WWF-India to promote environmental responsibility, drive community-based conservation, and inspire collective action towards a greener, more sustainable future.
