Chitra Kesarwani

Chitra Kesarwani was born and brought up in Ghaziabad city of UP. She had completed her schooling from Ingraham Institute English School, Ghaziabad and Graduation in Science in 1996. This was followed by Software Engineering which she did from Delhi in 2000.

She worked with NIIT Ltd. and New Horizons as Corporate and Technical Trainer from 1997 to 2004 and earned several Awards of Excellence in Training from NIIT.

Having a strong knack for working in the field of environment conservation, she joined Mokshada Paryavaran Evam Van Suraksha Samiti (Mokshda PEVSS) in 2004 as Programme Officer.

Mokshda is a non-profit charitable society (NGO) established in 1992 and registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. ChitraKeserwani was given the task of setting up an independent division in Mokshda PEVSS for creating public education and awareness programmes across the country to sensitise public about the adverse environmental impacts of cremation sector on environment. She made very significant contributions in this area and assisted Mokshda PEVSS in developing and promoting an alternative fuel-efficient and environment-friendly improved wood based crematoria (IWC). Some of the major initiatives taken by her in assisting Mokshda PEVSS in accomplishing this task are listed below:

Coordinated Mokshda PEVSS in surveying in surveying over 3000 cremation grounds and in organizing several thousand public contact programmes across the country. This elaborate exercise of public awareness was aimed at studying various methods of cremation in use and their merits and demerits. During surveys, consultations were also held with various stakeholders such as religious heads, public representatives, bureaucrats, technocrats and last but not the least, operators of cremation grounds together with their views on Improved Wood Based Crematoria (IWC) that would have become user acceptableat the national level. Inputs from surveys and a focused R&D programme involving more than 120 stages of design modifications produced what is presently known as the Mokshda Green Cremation System (MGCS).MGCS is energy efficient and environment friendly traditional method of cremation operating on wood. It is capable of saving up to 75% of fuel in each cremation and its design permits undertaking of all traditional rituals

Represented Mokshda PEVSS from 2004 to 2007 in the India International Trade Fair held every year in Delhi from 14th November to 27th November to sensitize public about environment conservation programmes of Mokshda PEVSS and Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF). MoEF sponsored such activities of Mokshda.

Coined a slogan for Mokshda PEVSS – “Tree Saved is Tree Planted”

Helped Mokshda in setting up a Green Club school & college students where under SCAPE (School and College Awareness Program on Environment program. Under which she organized several contact programs and Talk Show across country.

Organised annual mega events on World Environment Days and International Earth Days. A large number of students from schools from Delhi and NCR participated in these programmes. Activities included Sit & Draw Competition, Science Exhibition, Poetry Competition etc.

Organised several plantation drives across the country as projects as well as on important occasions like “Vana Mahotsavas” and other State programmes of mass plantations. Major projects of plantation were taken up at Ghansoli Mumbai, Gurgaon with corporate under their CSR. Also organized mass level plantation drives in Delhi in association with Department of environment Delhi

Developed a programme of education and awareness for school children to sensitize them various issues related to environment and forests conservation. Published souvenirs covering Mokshda PEVSS activities for several years for distribution amongst various Government institutions, NGOs, Schools etc. The other areas where She helped Mokshda PEVSS entering are sustainable sewage treatment systems with public-private partnership, sustainable municipal solid waste management, ground - water recharge and rain - water harvesting, recycling of waste water, public awareness programs and use of IT in environment protection and monitoring activities.