Rama Krishna Sangem
Green India Challenge campaign founder leader and former Rajya Sabha MP J Santosh Kumar has commenced his Seed Ganesha distribution this year’s festival season. Vinayaka Chaviti begin on August 27 and Navaratr festival continues for another 10 days before Ganesha idols are immersed in water bodies across the landscape.
Thousands of idols made of various chemical coats are dumped in Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of Hyderabad, thus endangering its waters’ quality. Seed Ganesha, made of clay with a grain seed in it is an answer to the water pollution problem resultant of chemical idols immersion in water bodies. Santosh has been promoting Seed Ganesha idols for the last several years.
As a symbol of tradition and environmental conservation, former Rajya Sabha MP and Green India Challenge (GIC) founder Joginapally Santosh Kumar, along with Telugu actor-producer Nara Rohith, unveiled eco-friendly Seed Ganesha idols as part of the promotions for the upcoming movie Sundarakanda, said a release. At Swarna Giri Temple, Santosh Kumar presented the idols to devotees and temple staff, extending his wishes for the success of Sundarakanda.
With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, the initiative will distribute 5,000 Seed Ganesha idols free of charge to children, families, and visitors. Corporates, community leaders, and individuals are also invited to join this green celebration.
Crafted from natural clay, cocopeat, and coco powder, each idol is embedded with seeds of native trees like Neem and Tamarind. After the rituals, the idols can be immersed in soil, allowing the seeds to sprout into saplings that can later be transplanted into homes, parks, and public spaces—creating lasting green legacies.
Santosh calls for eco-friendly Ganesha idols
“In today’s era of pollution and ecological stress, planting and nurturing trees is not a choice but a necessity. The Seed Ganesha initiative beautifully blends spirituality with sustainability, enabling every devotee to contribute to a greener planet. Going forward, we also plan to include medicinal and therapeutic plant seeds to enrich the program further.” said he. He urged devotees to avoid chemically painted idols that harm water bodies and instead embrace these eco-friendly alternatives.
Since its inception in 2018, inspired by the Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme launched by the then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, GIC has mobilized communities to plant millions of trees. Over the years, GIC has distributed 1.5 lakh Seed Ganesha idols annually, and this year, it aims to reach 5 lakh idols, spreading the message of sustainability far and wide.
The campaign has won support from celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Shruti Haasan, Shraddha Kapoor, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Prabhas, Pawan Kalyan, Mahesh Babu, SS Rajamouli, Samantha, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, among many others. Notably, GIC has planted 3 crore saplings across Telangana to mark the birthday of K.T. Rama Rao, former state minister and BRS working president.
This year’s Seed Ganesha launch, coordinated by GIC co-founder S. Raghavendar along with state and district coordinators, witnessed enthusiastic participation at swarnagiri temple where families, children, and communities gathered to celebrate the union of faith and environmental responsibility.
