The Green Icon

As the convenor of the Environmental Panel of CII Thoothukudi District, for the year 2011-12, I was instrumental in organising a one day environmental conference titled the ECO Summit. We had some of the top brains, who talked on various environmental related issues and how we could proactively engage ourselves, in mitigating the risks associated with environmental hazards and disasters.

One of the key speakers of this summit, was Mr.M.B.Nirmal,  the founder of Exnora International – A NGO based in Chennai who enjoy international repute today, for the enormous amount of work they have done in cleaning and greening the environment. This simple unassuming speaker shared his life story, in a witty way, but it was something that touched our hearts. The audience were both moved and inspired. If each one of us carry this little spark he lit within us, we are sure we will make our life purposeful. I hope sharing his life story, would inspire you too, to stretch beyond all limitations.

Nirmal was basically from a very rich family and they had a number of properties in Chennai. His father, ran into severe business debts, owing to some high risk business ventures and they had to sell all their property and their family literally came to the streets. Nirmal’s mother was persistent that she will not go and live in a rented house after having lived such a rich and royal life. With the very little money their family was left with Nirmal could only find a house in the slum, which he readily bought. It was a very painful period in their life. One of the visitors, who came to visit Nirmal’s family in their new dwelling, asked Nirmal, “Can’t you find a better place to live”. Nirmal was taken back. He had no words to say. He was in such a bad financial situation. It was that day he told himself, “My present conditions do not permit me to move to a better place, but I can make the place I live a better place.” This thought got so deeply rooted in his mind, that he focussed all his time and effort in making this slum, a clean and green place. He educated the people living in the slum, about the need for hygiene and he involved them in the process of making the place, green and clean. In his pursuit toward making the slum a better place for everyone to live in, he used creative approaches and brought about innovative solutions. It was not easy for him to convince people who were in the practice of open defecation, to use toilets. Inspite of creating toilets, no one was using it. He did innovative things like calling“public toilet” as “people’s toilet”.  In order to motivate small children to use the toilet, he painted the toilet walls with animals and cartoon images and renamed it as “Toy-let”. These small changes made a big difference, in people’s behaviour.This created a sensation, in the city and soon many people started coming to him, asking how he was able to do it. By duplicating his success model, more and more places, got cleaner and greener. This is how Exnora was formed.

Exnora is now talked about worldwide. The amount of toil, Nirmal has to put to make it a reality is something commendable. His untiring effort, determination, optimism, passion and contagious enthusiasm, has made a world of difference. In his own words, Nirmal says, “I am an incurable optimist”.

Today, Nirmal happily boasts about growing 1300 plants within his small apartment. His apartment is being visited by people across the world, who cannot believe their own eyes.

When you ask him, what is his goal at the moment, he says,“I want to be recognized as the world’s best thinker of our times.”

And if you think Nirmal is just an environmentalist, you are mistaken. He is a Motivator, Mind Programmer, Humorist, Orator, Trainer, Social Reformer. How can one person don so many roles? This really makes me wonder. He is an exemplary evidence, for those who question the limits of human potential. Let the life example of Nirmal, inspire us to stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities. For those of you, who are not aware of him, I am happy to introduce Mr.M.B.Nirmal - THE GREEN ICON. 

   D. Senthil Kannan,

  Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

  Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

  Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com