Employees from automotive retail tech company Tekion traded keyboards for shovels, transforming a barren patch of land near Hebbal Lake into a vibrant nucleus of an urban forest.

BENGALURU: Beneath the haze of a rapidly urbanizing Bengaluru, a defiant green sprout emerged today—not just one, but a thousand.
Employees from automotive retail tech company Tekion traded keyboards for shovels, transforming a barren patch of land near Hebbal Lake into a budding urban forest.
This initiative is a direct response to the city’s escalating environmental crisis. As concrete jungles encroach upon Bengaluru’s green lungs, the scorching grip of “heat islands” tightens. Under its CSR banner, Tekion joined hands with the NGO Blue Dot Foundation to combat this silent threat by planting over 1,000 saplings of native species—Arjuna, Myrobalan, Sea Hibiscus, Magnolia, Mahogany, and more—a diverse army poised to reclaim the city’s lost canopy.
Jay Vijayan, Founder and CEO of Tekion, launched the urban forest creation drive by planting bamboo saplings. “We are witnessing Bengaluru’s green cover vanish,” said Aravind Gowda, Senior Director of Communications at Tekion. “We’re not just planting trees; we’re investing in the city’s future. We’re committed to nurturing these saplings for the next three years, ensuring they thrive.”
Harsha Tej, Director of Blue Dot, added, “We’re facing challenging times, and every resident has a responsibility to protect and expand our green spaces. We believe in One Earth, and these saplings are a testament to that belief.”
This initiative cements Tekion as a corporate champion in land revitalization, a crucial step toward building a sustainable urban ecosystem. “Urban forests are not a luxury; they’re a necessity,” Harsha emphasized. “We’re creating a sanctuary for local flora and fauna, a haven for urban birds and animals. In three years, this will be a thriving habitat.”
Adding their voices to the cause, environmental advocate Samyukta Hornad and India’s trail-running icon Ashwini Ganapathy Bhat joined the employees, their hands deep in the soil. Their presence underscored the collective responsibility needed to address the city’s environmental challenges.
The scene wasn’t just about planting; it was about investing in a legacy. Each sapling—a fragile promise—represented a step toward a cooler, greener Bengaluru. “This isn’t just a community initiative; it’s a powerful statement: a thousand roots of hope anchoring the city in a sustainable future,” said Sowmya SM, Senior Director, People, Tekion.