Influential Figures

The Environmental Crusade of Arun Krishnamurthy

People strive hard to make a better name for themselves, but few make efforts to make the world a better place for others to live in. Arun Krishnamurthy, a young lad of only 29 years, is one such hero. An Indian environmental activist, Arun’s efforts of initiating a campaign to clean various lakes of India and restoring them are praiseworthy.

Since his childhood, which he spent in a village near Chennai, Arun has been deeply motivated by the village head’s effort to keep the pond water clean and encourage people to throw the garbage in proper places. This young lad left his high-profile job at Google and set a dream float to preserve the environment. Sensing his favorite lake getting polluted, Arun did not stay quiet and started cleaning the pond himself. His efforts influenced several other individuals and like-minded people, and this was the beginning of a grand initiative and resolute campaign. A paradise for the kingfisher bird, the lake at Pallikaranai was getting polluted with construction debris and plastics. Arun and his band of youngsters cleaned and revived the lake into a beautiful place.

Arun Krishnamurthy founded the International Environmentalist Foundation of India, better known as EFI. The organization mainly focuses on the conservation of wildlife and the restoration of habitats. Arun Krishnamurthy and his team at EFI have cleaned up various lakes in Chennai, Hyderabad and nearby places. Their nationwide campaign to restore natural habitats has increased public awareness of environmental conservation.

The team EFI works with the help of volunteer support across India. Arun Krishnamurthy and his team work on Sundays to clean up the lakes. Don’t be surprised if you see a bunch of youngsters cleaning up your surroundings on a typical Sunday morning. They could be the crew members of EFI. As of 2015, Arun Krishnamurthy and his volunteers have revived more than 39 lakes nationwide. With the help of public support and governmental funding, Arun Krishnamurthy’s EFI has been responsible for restoring the natural habitat in Coimbatore and several southern states of India. He is also responsible for the creation of biodiversity gardens at various places. He also started the ‘Green Gramam’, a strategy to build eco-friendly villages. Arun Krishnamurthy is also accredited for setting up more than 19 biodiversity parks in several schools across India. His effort to clean a lake in Delhi got huge public support and appreciation from all quarters. The team uses scientific methods and techniques for restoration and cleaning the lakes.

At an age where the youth demands a comfortable and happy-go-lucky life, Arun Krishnamurthy stands out as an inspiration for Indians, making them aware of the urgent need for the environmental conservation of resources. Arun Krishnamurthy and his group also organize weekly ‘Lake Savaari’ to connect people with the nearby surroundings. For his determination and dedication towards cleaning the lakes across India and other initiatives, Arun Krishnamurthy was awarded the Google Alumni Impact award in 2011 and the Rolex Enterprise award in 2012.

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