On a scorching afternoon in Kolkata, amidst the cacophony of city life, Jasmit walks through a narrow lane with a small paper bag in his hand. Inside it are discarded mango seeds, known as gutlis, collected from neighbours, schools, and office colleagues. 

To anyone else, they might seem trivial, solely the remnants of a sweet summer fruit, easily discarded without a second thought. But for him, each seed represents a potential tree, a promise of fruit, and a thread in a much larger mosaic. 

It is a vision to reconnect India’s urban and rural communities, rejuvenate biodiversity, and provide economic sustenance to farmers. Every mango seed carries a promise, and this promise has grown into the movement led by the ‘Gutli Man of India’.

“I am neither a farmer nor a botanist. I am just someone who loves mangoes and believes that even a single seed can change the world,” he says. His love for the fruit is more than culinary; it is the seed of a mission that has now inspired thousands across India to become part of a larger environmental cause. “Every gutli you see as waste can turn into a tree that gives food and shelter and supports life,” he adds.

The beginning of a seeded revolution

Jasmit Singh Arora (53) hails from Kolkata and describes himself as a social entrepreneur. His life is guided by a purpose beyond profit, devoted to the environment, the farmers, and the education of future generations. 

“When I saw mango trees being cut down, and I realised how paddy farming drained water and poisoned the soil, I felt compelled to act. These are not just ecological problems; they are human problems, affecting our children, our farmers, and our future,” he tells The Better India.

The Gutli Mission, as it is known today, began humbly in 2017-2018. His initial aim was to connect school children with the importance of the environment and the role farmers play in sustaining life. He saw a world where children believed their parents and teachers were the only pillars of life, while farmers, who grew the very food they consumed, were often overlooked.

“The environment was crying for help. Water and air quality were deteriorating, and farmers were earning as little as Rs 2,000 for paddy cultivation, which also harmed the soil,” he recalls. Mango trees became a focal point for him because of their ecological importance. Birds nested in them, insects........

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