Remembering their Roots in Hyderabad

Morning sunlight filtered through the trees of a Hyderabad neighbourhood, the perfect setting for a family stroll. Meena Murugappan hung back, watching a moment of intergenerational wisdom unfold as her father stooped to teach her young daughter about the natural world around them.

“My dad's pointing to every tree and plant, and saying, ‘This is not a weed. This is edible. This flower is edible. That bark you can use if you have an insect bite,’” Meena recalls.

Struck by her father’s deep-rooted understanding, Meena asked where he’d learned this knowledge. His response revealed a lost educational tradition: a time when schools embraced nature studies, with children learning biology through hands-on farming experiences that connected them directly to the earth.

She was astonished. How had so much plant wisdom, once second nature to a ten-year-old, faded across generations - only to resurface in this quiet moment between grandfather and granddaughter?

“An entire generation remembers. They connect so well with their local flora and fauna,” she reflects. “I got worried. What would I know when I'm walking with my grandchild? What is it that I will introduce them to?”

This realisation became the catalyst for founding Organo Et School in 2017, an educational initiative transforming how children in Hyderabad connect with nature. OES aims to create 'Samavriddhi': prosperity shared beyond humans to include all living beings.

The leadership team brings complementary strengths: Meena contributes design thinking as an architect, while Deepthi draws on her extensive social impact experience. Together, they believe sustainability education must be experiential, joyful, and locally relevant.

“We realised that sustainability should not be preached,” explains Meena. “When it's experienced, the change comes from within.”

This insight guided OES through three evolutionary phases: first offering sustainability tours to school groups, then creating food systems programs teaching children to grow their own food. Now, they're scaling into 'Version 3.0' - an open knowledge platform that Deepthi describes as “… taking environmental awareness from children to parents to communities, bridging urban and rural environments.” Their approach comes to life on a one-acre farm outside Hyderabad, a technology hub of 11 million in south-central India. Here, city children get their hands dirty - literally - in OES's signature ‘Be a Farmer’ program.

“The first week is like, I'm not removing my shoes. I'm not touching the soil,” Meena laughs. “We have to start teaching that this is soil. This is not dirt.” Meena and Deepthi know they’re sparking profound shifts in the way children see the natural world.

It became clear to them that something magical happens when seeds sprout. Children who initially recoiled from mud soon arrive wearing clothes they can get dirty in, eagerly jumping in puddles. The farm becomes a sanctuary from urban environments and digital distractions. “For them, it was pure joy. It was informative. It was a completely new experience. And they were very happy not to spend their weekends in the mall.”

Over multiple weekends, children witness the entire growing cycle from seed to harvest. They learn about natural fertilisers like "Jeevamritam," made from traditional ingredients, including cow dung and jaggery.

What begins as farming blossoms into wider awareness. Parents report unexpected changes at home: less food waste, greater appreciation for flavours, and curiosity about kitchen ingredients. “They got interested in food. They were curious about what's in the kitchen, the different spices. It triggered a lot of unexpected behavioural changes,” Meena explains.

Beyond creating shifts in personal habits, OES is reshaping career aspirations. Students exposed to sustainability concepts develop new interests — like the aspiring footballer who began researching eco-friendly turf alternatives after learning about water consumption. “One of the proudest moments is actually introducing green jobs to children,” Meena says.

OES offers programs in slow food cooking and energy conservation, helping schools become eco-campuses through their comprehensive seven-strand approach. This framework earned UNESCO recognition in 2022, with OES engaging over 30 schools and 6,500 students since its inception.

Their vision for Version 3.0 is ambitious: a knowledge hub where diverse stakeholders can share sustainable solutions across all seven areas - air, water, food, shelter, energy, people, and earth.

“We want to build an ecosystem architecture which is open for everybody and anybody to come in, join hands, collaborate, partner, share in their experiences, volunteer,” explains Deepthi.

While this vision is inspiring, OES faces challenges that mirror Hyderabad's environmental struggles, where unpredictable rainfall disrupts agriculture and strains infrastructure, creating urgency for their work. Despite these complexities, their philosophy is refreshingly gentle. As Deepthi advises those beginning a sustainability journey: “Start anywhere and celebrate living. The world belongs to many, not just the homo sapiens. So be one among many, appreciate it, and celebrate every living moment.”

Meena adds, “Be pragmatic in your approach to lifestyle changes. You have to do it with joy and love, not with rules.”

As Hyderabad grapples with rapid growth and climate uncertainty, OES’s discovery is profound yet simple: When children fall in love with nature first, they naturally become its protectors.