The Plant for Punjab initiative focuses on creating mini forests across the state’s 2,500 villages.
The Indian state of Punjab has been the cornerstone of the Green Revolution, proudly donning the title of the country’s “Bread Basket.” Yet, this agricultural prosperity came at a significant environmental cost, with intensive farming practices leading to deforestation and a plummeting water table, pushing the state toward the brink of desertification.
“You look at Punjab; it’s about 50,000 plus square kilometers in land use,” says Indian American philanthropist and “Wholistic Wellbeing” practitioner Sunny Gurpreet Singh. “It has a biodiversity cover of 3 percent or less and [is] degrading. [it’s] one of the lowest in the country.”
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Now the Seattle-based Singh has embarked on a mission to restore the lost greenery of the state he grew up in.
Through his RoundGlass Foundation, the healthcare tech entrepreneur launched a visionary project in 2019 to plant a billion trees in Punjab by 2035.
“Our audacious goal is to plant a billion trees in the state of Punjab by 2035,” Singh tells the American Bazaar. “We believe about 600 million or so of them will be in the villages, and about 400 million would be in towns and cities. We have now almost one and half a million trees planted in over 1,000 villages.”
The foundation’s strategy involves creating mini forests in each village, tailored to the specific needs of small, midsize, and large communities. The ambitious plan aims for 25,000 plants and trees for small villages, 50,000 for midsize villages, and 100,000 or more for large villages.
The selection of tree varieties is crucial to the success of this endeavor. The trees planted by RoundGlass are endemic and well-suited to Punjab’s unique environment, says Singh. Medicinal trees, carefully chosen to attract biodiversity, create not only a green cover but also contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem.
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Intelligent planting techniques form the backbone of RoundGlass’ approach. Singh emphasizes the significance of considering the direction and patching similar trees together, allowing them to communicate and thrive more effectively. The result is an impressive survival rate of 98 percent plus, showcasing the foundation’s commitment to sustainable afforestation.
The philanthropist and entrepreneur says RoundGlass doesn’t stop at planting trees; it ensures that the cultivated plants do not consume excessive amounts of water, promoting responsible water usage.
“They are good for the earth itself both in terms of soil itself and the consumption of water,” Singh says.
The foundation is also planning rainwater harvesting and using sewage water for irrigation, creating a holistic ecosystem that goes beyond traditional afforestation. “We are looking at the entire ecosystem,” says Singh.
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According to RoundGlass, so far the organization has created 1,174 mini forests in 1,307 villages across the state. Overall, more than 2 million trees have been planted.
This initiative has not only revitalized the environment but has also provided temporary employment opportunities to thousands of villagers, Singh says.
The philanthropist envisions a transformed Punjab once RoundGlass achieves its goal of planting a billion trees in over 12,500 villages. The state, currently grappling with environmental challenges, has the potential to become one of the greenest regions globally, he says.
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The collateral benefits of this initiative extend beyond afforestation. Waste management, composting, organic manure, regenerative farming, and solar projects are integral components of RoundGlass’ comprehensive approach. These sustainable initiatives aim to clean up water tables, soil, and air, ensuring a brighter and more environmentally conscious future for Punjab.
Singh, who was born in Punjab, began his entrepreneurial journey in 1996 with Edifecs, a healthcare technology company. He guided the firm to become a unicorn in the US healthcare technology landscape, boasting over 350 healthcare customers and catering to the needs of more than 215 million lives.
In 2014, the Bellevue, WA, resident launched his second company, RoundGlass, with the mission to promote global “Wholistic Wellbeing” by empowering and enabling people on their wellbeing journey.
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Singh and RoundGlass aim to make “Wholistic Wellbeing” accessible to everyone, encompassing various dimensions like physical, mental, spiritual, financial, professional, social, community, and planetary aspects.
The RoundGlass Foundation is one of the three social impact initiatives of RoundGlass. The other two are RoundGlass Sports and RoundGlass Sustain.
The RoundGlass Foundation is focused on enhancing the quality of life in underserved communities of Punjab by fostering self-reliance and co-existence, with a strong emphasis on ecological sustainability. Besides the Plant for Punjab, the foundation implements various on-ground initiatives covering children’s education and sports, livelihood generation, women’s empowerment and sanitation.
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In a previous interview with the American Bazaar, Singh talked about his philosophy of giving back to the community, especially in Punjab. “I grew up in India, and spent my early childhood in Punjab, where I was born,” he said. “The philosophy of giving back is deeply entrenched in the way of life there and I imbibed the same from my family and community. So, when I returned to India in 2015, it was but natural for me to start with giving back to my home state. I have a vision for Punjab — to make it a healthier and more vibrant state by applying the principles of Wholistic Wellbeing.”