Berhampur: Sudhir Rout, endearingly hailed as the ‘Greenman of Odisha,’ was felicitated by NIST University on Saturday.

Sudhir, the lone sentinel, has transformed 20 arid hills into lush green through his unwavering, self-financed crusade under Aryabhatt Foundation. His presence elevated NIST’s ‘Green & Clean Campus’ initiative, offering both blessing and blueprint for a sustainable academic ecosystem.

Rout was felicitated with petals, campus-grown flowers and a sapling, mirroring the modesty and symbolism of his life’s work.

Addressing the students, he invoked ancestral wisdom, reminding all: “Nature is not a gift we inherit but a debt we owe to our descendants.”

Beyond his afforestation feats, Sudhir’s austere lifestyle shunning plastic and carrying reusable utensils stood as a quiet protest against modern excess and a loud call for conscious living.