Retired forest officer promotes green earth through paintings

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A team lead by Rao visited the village Pangti to do their job and such was the success of the 2013 campaign that not a single bird was killed.

Bengaluru :

As the principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force, Lokeswara Rao was the man who spearheaded various environmental campaigns that spread awareness about afforestation, birds and the ill-effects of plastic pollution. While stationed in Nagaland, the officer was asked to create awareness about the migratory Russian falcons that were being hunted by villagers. A team lead by Rao visited the village Pangti to do their job and such was the success of the 2013 campaign that not a single bird was killed.

So, it comes as no surprise that the now retired forest officer has joined an international body that works towards nature conservation as its director for a campaign called ‘Protect Our Species’. As part of Earth Day Network USA, Rao will be in-charge of the aforementioned campaign and spreading awareness about protecting the environment and its species along with another country head Karuna Singh. The team is working on a ‘Clean Ganga’ and a ‘Clean Juhu Beach’ project, apart from various programmes on plastic pollution.

Rao’s efforts to conserve nature and spread awareness about the need to do so doesn’t end there. This upcoming Earth Day (April 22), he will also exhibit 35 new paintings which will showcase depictions of Buddha in relation to nature through abstract and semi-abstract means. The connection between the two is inseparable, says Rao, who adds, “Nature is present in the four main events of the Buddha’s life: Birth, enlightenment, first sermon and death. Moreover, he always appreciated nature and encouraged others to do the same.” Rao started painting over a decade ago.

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His favourite, however, are Buddha and nature. According to the latest Living Planet (2018) Index (an indicator of the state of global biological diversity), the population abundance of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish has decreased by more than half (60 per cent) in less than 50 years, from 1970 – 2014. The report attributes it to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, over-exploitation and the spread of invasive species and diseases.

Rao believes art has the ability to interact with and educate the viewer about such issues. “Art can open our eyes to the beauty of the nature. It can simply be a pretty picture that appreciates nature for what it is… Or it can be a challenging piece expressing our complex human connection to nature,”
he says.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / April 16th, 2019

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