Latur: While most retirees choose a quiet life after decades of service, Shivaji Giri from Latur has chosen to nurture life instead. The retired Assistant Forest Officer has transformed his home on Ambajogai Road into a flourishing green sanctuary that rivals a small nursery.
After serving in the Forest Department for several years, including in Naxal-affected areas, Giri developed a deep bond with nature. Refusing to let retirement slow him down, he decided to bring the forest home. Today, his backyard and terrace brim with greenery, housing around 200 pots filled with over 75 varieties of saplings, all grown and tended with meticulous care and affection.
From medicinal herbs and flowering shrubs to fruit-bearing and rare forest species, his garden reflects both scientific knowledge and personal devotion. His wife, equally enthusiastic, joins him every day in nurturing their verdant family.
Even as the younger generation spends hours scrolling through social media, Giri remains devoted to another passion: reading. His home library contains an impressive collection of books on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, and Mahatma Phule, along with several rare volumes on ecology and wildlife. He also maintains scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings on environmental conservation.
Unlike many who seek online applause for planting trees, Giri’s quiet commitment stands out. His home, enveloped in foliage and fresh air, is a living example of how individual effort can make a meaningful contribution to the environment.
For a generation increasingly disconnected from nature, Giri’s green world offers a simple yet powerful message: to grow not only in ambition but also in compassion for the planet.
