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One Man, One Lake, One Movement – The Story of Sunil Jayaram and Chitlapakkam Rising – S2E24
🎧 Episode Summary:In this inspiring episode of Changepreneurs, we sit down with Sunil Jayaram, the driving force behind Chitlapakkam Rising—a grassroots movement that transformed a dying lake in Chennai into a thriving symbol of environmental activism and community power.From a successful tech career to becoming one of Tamil Nadu’s most admired citizen changemakers, Sunil shares how he built a team, mobilized thousands of volunteers, and tackled systemic challenges to bring nature back into urban life.If you've ever wondered whether one person can truly make a difference—this story is your answer.Timestamps & Key Topics: 00:00 – Introduction to Changepreneurs and guest Sunil Jayaram 03:32 – Returning from the US: Why Sunil came back to India 06:18 – Balancing a high-pressure job with meaningful community work 09:36 – Building the right team: Why hiring well matters in changemaking 12:57 – What Sunil learned from Anand Mahindra on leadership 16:20 – The birth of Chitlapakkam Rising: How it all started 25:26 – Grassroots impact: Cleaning lakes, planting trees, building trust 28:53 – Why tree maintenance is as important as planting 34:23 – Using tech for green initiatives: Data, dashboards & engagement 43:51 – Facing resistance: Challenges from authorities and citizens alike 50:52 – Changing mindsets: Tackling behavior in waste management 56:35 – Sunil’s call to action: Small steps, big change🧠 Key Takeaways: Leadership in community work starts with listening. Sustainable change requires long-term commitment, not just one-time cleanups. Behavior change is the toughest challenge in environmental work.The right mix of technology and people power can transform any neighborhood.You don’t need permission to start—you just need purpose.💡 Quote from Sunil Jayaram:"If not me, who? If not now, when?”📌 Connect with Sunil & Chitlapakkam Rising:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suniljayaram/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/@Chitlapakkam.Rising/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chitlapakkamrising/Twitter – https://www.x.com/Chitla_Rising
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By Sathish Kumar🎧 Episode Summary:In this inspiring episode of Changepreneurs, we sit down with Sunil Jayaram, the driving force behind Chitlapakkam Rising—a grassroots movement that transformed a dying lake in Chennai into a thriving symbol of environmental activism and community power.From a successful tech career to becoming one of Tamil Nadu’s most admired citizen changemakers, Sunil shares how he built a team, mobilized thousands of volunteers, and tackled systemic challenges to bring nature back into urban life.If you've ever wondered whether one person can truly make a difference—this story is your answer.Timestamps & Key Topics: 00:00 – Introduction to Changepreneurs and guest Sunil Jayaram 03:32 – Returning from the US: Why Sunil came back to India 06:18 – Balancing a high-pressure job with meaningful community work 09:36 – Building the right team: Why hiring well matters in changemaking 12:57 – What Sunil learned from Anand Mahindra on leadership 16:20 – The birth of Chitlapakkam Rising: How it all started 25:26 – Grassroots impact: Cleaning lakes, planting trees, building trust 28:53 – Why tree maintenance is as important as planting 34:23 – Using tech for green initiatives: Data, dashboards & engagement 43:51 – Facing resistance: Challenges from authorities and citizens alike 50:52 – Changing mindsets: Tackling behavior in waste management 56:35 – Sunil’s call to action: Small steps, big change🧠 Key Takeaways: Leadership in community work starts with listening. Sustainable change requires long-term commitment, not just one-time cleanups. Behavior change is the toughest challenge in environmental work.The right mix of technology and people power can transform any neighborhood.You don’t need permission to start—you just need purpose.💡 Quote from Sunil Jayaram:"If not me, who? If not now, when?”📌 Connect with Sunil & Chitlapakkam Rising:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suniljayaram/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/@Chitlapakkam.Rising/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chitlapakkamrising/Twitter – https://www.x.com/Chitla_Rising