Against All Odds | Ex-Armyman-turned-forest guard’s reforesting mission in Pune wins PM Modi’s praise

“Our family’s day starts at 5 am,” says Kharmale. “By 5.30 am, we’re in the field, watering, weeding, planting, digging. Three hours of work before the daily chores begin.”

This disciplined approach reflects Kharmale’s 17-year service in the Army’s Maratha Light Infantry. After retiring from the Army in 2012, the Pune native with a farming background briefly worked as a security guard at Union Bank’s Thergaon branch. But the air-conditioned comfort felt suffocating to a man accustomed to open fields.
“I realised I couldn’t serve my country by sitting idle on a bank’s desk,” Kharmale says.

The solution came naturally from thinking about environmental conservation. While he continued his job at the bank, weekends became mission time for Kharmale and his family, who would trek to barren hilltops with spades and seeds.

Continuous contour trenching

Before each monsoon, they dug trenches and small pits along slopes to trap rainwater, a traditional technique called continuous contour trenching. Seeds planted in these natural reservoirs had the moisture they needed to establish roots, while the captured water slowly recharged underground aquifers.

This has resulted in over 400 m of trenches now dotting the landscape, capable of recharging groundwater by over 16 million litres annually during good rainfall years. Fig, neem, bamboo, peepal, and mahogany trees have created a micro-ecosystem where once nothing grew.’’

Recognising his work, Prime Minister Modi highlighted Kharmale’s work in his 123rd Mann Ki Baat broadcast, adding, “This recognition will inspire many others to become active agents of change.”

That recognition was for his long-standing hard work. In 2013, Kharmale appeared for a Maharashtra Public Service Commission exam, determined to make environmental work his full-time career. Appointed as a forest guard in 2014, he gained official support for his grassroots reforestation efforts.

“PM Modi’s words have boosted our morale tremendously,” says Kharmale.

His latest project, an “oxygen park” in Vadaj village near Dhamankhel, represents an evolution of his approach. The small forest patch is protected by trenches that serve dual purposes: water conservation and natural fencing against grazing animals. “This model can be replicated anywhere,” Kharmale explains. “And I believe that every forest department should try this approach across the country.”

‘Get your hands dirty’

Kharmale’s impact extends beyond physical transformation. Through school visits across the state and an active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, he’s building a team of environmental conservationists. His message is: “Don’t just post statuses about environment conservation, get your hands dirty.”

“Army discipline, forest department guidance, family support, and community encouragement have all contributed to this success, which began as a weekend activity and evolved into a life’s mission,” Kharmale added.

Recognising his conservation efforts, Kharmale has also been invited to the Independence Day celebrations in Delhi by the President Droupadi Murmu.

The writer is an intern with The Indian Express.