Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi all set for a green revival

A view of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi campus in Thrissur. | Photo Credit: K.K. NAJEEB The Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi is all set to deepen its green roots with an ambitious tree-planting initiative aimed at restoring the campus as a thriving ecological space.The Akademi’s new leadership, headed by noted singer and chairperson G. Venugopal, will launch the ‘Maram Peyyunna Idam’ (Where Trees Rain) project on Friday (October 8, 2026) in association with the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI).Mr. Venugopal, vice-chairperson Hemanth Kumar and secretary N.V. Pradeep Kumar will inaugurate the initiative by planting saplings on the Akademi campus. KFRI officials will lead the programme and provide technical support for developing the campus as a more environmentally sustainable space.The first phase will see the planting of a mix of fruit-bearing, fragrant and medicinal trees, including jacaranda, mani maruthu, nagachempakam, karimaruthu, ficus, elanji and kayamboo. The saplings have been sponsored by Aranyaka Vananthara Destination, Thrithala.The project seeks to go beyond conventional tree planting and revive an older relationship between people and trees, Mr. Venugopal said.“People have sat under the shade of trees for centuries and looked at the world with a heightened cultural awareness. Banyan, peepal, kanjiram, chembakam, pala, parijatham, koovalam and maruthu are not merely trees; they are deeply woven into our emotional and cultural memory,” he said.Breathing spaceAt a time when rising temperatures are making shade and greenery increasingly precious, trees offer more than beauty — they provide relief, resilience and a breathing space, he said.“The idea is to bring the Akademi back to the tree culture of the past through such initiatives,” Mr. Venugopal said.Once known for its lush vegetation, the Akademi campus is now poised for a renewed green identity, with the new initiative seeking to blend art, culture and ecological consciousness in the heart of the city.The project is envisaged as the first step in a wider environmental action plan by the new Akademi administration to make its campus greener, cooler and more welcoming to artists, visitors and the wider community.Earlier after taking charge as Chairman of the Akademi, Mr. Venugopal said: “All my popular songs were recorded while I was working as a programme executive at Thrissur Akashvani. So, Thrissur has a very special place in my artistic journey,” he said.He said the chairpersonship of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi was not another platform for the singer in him, but a responsibility entrusted to him to help write a new chapter in Kerala’s cultural life.“This is not another stage for G. Venugopal the singer. It is a responsibility entrusted to me to contribute to a new chapter in our cultural life. Great stalwarts have held this position before me. I believe we can accomplish many things by thinking, discussing and working together,” he said. Published - October 08, 2026 08:17 pm IST