Catch Them Young: Odisha School Offers Hands-On Lessons in Sustainability and Green Living

In a quiet town in Rajgangpur, Odisha, students at Dalmia Vidya Mandir are not just studying the environment—they are living it. The school, located in the Sundergarh district, has transformed into a hub of hands-on sustainable learning, thanks to the vision of former principal Raghvendra Kumar Dwivedi.

Since 2019, the school has implemented 10 green projects aimed at teaching children resource conservation and ecological responsibility. Among the most unique is a seesaw pump that uses the energy of children playing to draw groundwater—turning fun into functionality.

Other innovations include a rainwater harvesting system, a hydroponic garden, solar panels, and smart garbage bins equipped with RFID sensors that detect the type of waste and prevent overfilling.

One standout initiative is the bamboo skill centre, where students learn traditional crafts using sustainable materials like split bamboo and dried grass. The centre encourages creativity while preserving local culture.

All of this was possible under the guidance of Dwivedi, who joined as principal in 2018 and saw the potential to integrate sustainability deeply into the curriculum. “We wanted students to experience what they were learning—planting trees, saving water, managing waste—not just read about it,” he said.

His efforts paid off. In 2020, the school was honored with the Green School Award by the Indian Green Building Council, which came with a ₹4 lakh prize.

Former student Varanasi Sai Srikara Sasank recalls how these initiatives helped reduce the school’s dependence on conventional power and sparked eco-consciousness among students.

Now at Delhi Public School Mahendragarh, Dwivedi continues his mission to inspire environmental change, one school at a time.