#HarithaHaram goes viral after impetus from Kavitha, Saina and Rajamouli

Looks like our politicians are using social media to good effect to involve the public in taking up causes. After Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore’s #HumFitTohIndiaFit challenge took social media by a storm with active participation from celebrities, closer home, the #HarithaHaram challenge is gaining momentum. It all started when Nizamabad MP Kavitha Kalvakuntla planted three saplings in front of her residence in Hyderabad as part of the green challenge, and then took to Twitter to spread the word.She nominated Deputy CM Mahmood Ali, Baahubali director SS Rajamouli, badminton ace Saina Nehwal and journalist Radha Krishna to take up the challenge. “Accepted priyanka’s nomination & Doing my bit for greener World !! I nominate miss @Nsaina, Deputy CM Mahmood Ali garu, RadhaKrishna garu @abntelugutv & @ssrajamouli garu to take up the green challenge!! Plant a sapling & spread the word for a greener better world!! #HarithaHaram (sic),” she posted.
Quick to respond, Saina took up the challenge and went on to nominate some more of her celebrity friends to take up the green challenge. “Thank you ma’am @RaoKavitha .. for nominating me. Let’s all together make our world greener and clean. Here’s my contribution and I further nominate @taapsee, @ShraddhaKapoor and @eshagupta2811 to take up the green challenge. #HarithaHaram (sic),” posted Saina.
Kavitha and Saina’s tweets gave the green challenge the much-needed impetus on social media, with the hashtag #HarithaHaram garnering over 6 million impressions with an engagement of more than 1000 users at one time. The numbers shot up even higher after SS Rajamouli took up the challenge, along with his furry friend. “Challenge accepted @RaoKavitha garu. Planted Banyan, Gulmohar and Neem saplings. And now, I nominate Pullela Gopichand garu, @KTRTRS garu, young directors @imvangasandeep, Nag Ashwin to take up the #HarithaHaram challenge,” (sic) wrote Rajamouli. After Rajamouli’s tweet, the hashtag got 13.8 million impressions with a reach of 13.5 million and engagement of 2,500. With both Arjun Reddy director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Mahanati director Nag Ashwin acknowledging Rajamouli’s nomination and promising to take up the challenge soon, the buzz around #HarithaHaram is likely to increase.
The green challenge was started by ‘Igniting Minds’ and ‘Walk For Water’, two charitable organisations who decided to promote Telangana government’s Haritha Haram by starting a green challenge on social media and challenging people to plant three saplings each. “The primary aim of this programme is to encourage planting saplings in a competitive and fun way. Planting trees is the easiest way anybody can contribute to nature and tackle droughts, global warming and other environmental challenges. It is the responsibility of all the citizens to promote this programme and bring awareness on planting trees and contributing to
nature,” says Kavitha.