Green Raksha Bandhan Celebrated at Udhampur Campus

Udhampur, August 25: In a unique and meaningful initiative, students, teaching and non-teaching staff of Udhampur Campus (Garnai-Lotta), University of Jammu, celebrated Green Raksha Bandhan by observing “Vrikshabandhan”, an innovative initiative connecting the traditional spirit of Raksha Bandhan with the responsibility of protecting and nurturing the environment.

The celebration redefined the essence of the festival by extending the sacred bond of protection beyond human relationships to the natural world. As part of the initiative, students prepared eco-friendly Green Rakhis using flowers, leaves and other natural materials. The rakhis symbolised a commitment to protect trees and nature and highlighted the vital role of trees in sustaining life and maintaining ecological balance.

In a symbolic gesture, students, teaching and non-teaching staff tied the Green Rakhis around trees on the campus. The initiative encouraged participants to view trees not merely as natural resources but as living beings deserving care, respect and protection. Students also shared their thoughts on the importance of trees in maintaining biodiversity, reducing air pollution, conserving soil and water, and combating the growing challenges of climate change. The interaction provided an opportunity to understand how small and responsible actions in everyday life can contribute towards a healthier and more sustainable planet.

Addressing the students, Prof. Yash Pal Sharma, Rector, Udhampur Campus, highlighted the deeper significance of Raksha Bandhan as a festival celebrating love, affection, security, responsibility and protection. He emphasised that the spirit of protection should not remain limited to human relationships but should also extend to plants, animals and the entire ecosystem that supports life on Earth.

Prof. Sharma appreciated the students for transforming the traditional concept of Raksha Bandhan into an environmentally meaningful celebration and described the Green Rakhis as a beautiful symbol of harmony between culture, compassion and sustainability. He further interacted with the students and explained the ecological importance of different plants growing on the campus, highlighting their role in maintaining environmental balance, supporting biodiversity and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The Rector also encouraged the students to adopt environmentally responsible habits in their daily lives, including reducing waste, avoiding unnecessary use of plastic, conserving water, protecting green spaces, and planting and nurturing trees.

The event concluded with a collective environmental pledge, wherein all participants resolved to protect trees, conserve natural resources, respect biodiversity and contribute towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.

The enthusiastic participation of students, teaching and non-teaching staff reflected the strong campus-wide commitment towards environmental stewardship. Through Vrikshabandhan, Udhampur Campus conveyed a simple yet powerful message: if trees protect and sustain our lives, it is our responsibility to protect them in return. The celebration transformed Raksha Bandhan into a meaningful expression of love not only for one another but also for the environment that sustains us all.