He’s been saving the environment for many years now, but at the age of seventy six, Pradip Burman still sounds as determined and proactive to spearhead sustainable development initiatives across the nation as always.
It’s difficult to believe when he speaks with a teen’s enthusiasm and energy about the issues that consume him- climate change, Earth’s depleting resources and mankind’s consistent myopia.
However his constant attention towards sustainability as an essential way of living his own life is an indisputable proof of his dedication, his visionary mindset and his commitment to leaving an uncompromised future for generations to come.
Proclaiming with an unwavering conviction, he says “We ought to be aware of what lies ahead of us. Soon we will finish the oil, iron, tin, and coal, and our next generations will be left with nothing. Recycling, banning plastics, stopping felling trees for paper… This should become a part of everyone’s lifestyle.”
He refuses to conform to the convenience of the so-called consumer driven world, rejecting the idea of ‘development’ as synonymous to ‘perpetual growth’.
Instead he reiterates, development is doing well and being able to do well till the end of your days- not buying three cars, four air conditioners, five private jets and eight holiday homes.
Gandhiji once said- “There is enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.”
And in that way our main objective should be to use those finite resources to spread the greatest amount of security and happiness not just for mankind but all species coexisting on this planet.
Even through his formative years, Mr. Burman has always harboured a keen interest in being of value to the society. His graduation project as a mechanical engineer from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA was a sonic aid for the visually challenged, which detected obstacles using ultrasonic wave signals.
And so goes, in an effort to give structure and initiative to his sustainable ideology, he launched Mobius Foundation, a frontrunner organisation when it comes to championing and achieving sustainability goals. It is leaving its traces with some of the most notable developments in education, population stabilization and renewable energy projects.
His focus is not just relegated to undoing the damage, rather to seed a sustainable mindset in the coming generations that have a fresh perspective, are receptive to change and conscious as a tightly-knit community.
Also a trustee of the Climate Reality Project, India, Mr. Burman has been actively involved in spreading awareness about climate change amongst educators.
In his long-spanning journey in the area of sustainable growth, he has sparked a change for many while working tirelessly to promote environmental awareness till date.
-Team Pradip Burman