C S Veerraghavan is not alone in his battle to tackle the climate crisis. The visually impaired 50-year-old has the support of 400 members of his NGO, Green Voice Global (GVG), who are now his eyes.

Veerraghavan recalls the time when he was in 11th standard and he had seen his neighbors walk for 4 km to fetch water. He wanted to help them out and that was the first time he took up the cudgels for a cause.

Working for social causes, he gradually realized that humans were staring at a very serious threat -  global warming. Veerraghavan decided not to leave a stone unturned to counter climate change. 

To accomplish his goal, Veerraghavan distributed cloth bags and planted over 1.5 lakh seedlings throughout the state. With the assistance of the community, he even revitalized water bodies in Velachery. He founded the non-profit organization Green Voice Global (GVG) in 2001, and today, he and its members hold awareness sessions and rallies for high school and college students.

Realizing that heat-trapping gasses, such as carbon dioxide produced while burning fossil fuels, are warming the Earth. Veerraghavan led many campaigns that highlight the need to reduce emissions from the energy and transportation sectors.

Veerraghavan lost his eyesight to the rare eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa when he was an adolescent. At that time he required assistance to take even a single step. It is inspiring that apart from striving to protect the planet from global warming, he also worked to improve the lives of disabled persons and young girls.