Tree Planted on Campus in Honor of Environmental Champion

Tarumitra, founded by Rev. Athickal, promotes environmental sustainability



A tree was planted on Holy Cross’ Linden Lane in honor of Rev. Robert Athickal, S.J., founder of an environmental organization dedicated to preserving biodiversity, when he was on campus to receive an honorary degree at Commencement.

A native of India, Fr. Athickal founded Tarumitra (Hindi for “Friends of the Trees”) with some high school students in 1988 in Patna, India. Later, his Jesuit superior missioned him to be the adviser and support person for this movement — and in 2004, the United Nations accepted Tarumitra for non-governmental status.

Upon learning about Fr. Athickal’s story, Jim Long, superintendent of grounds, put together a plan to plant a Linden tree at the entrance of the College. Rev. James Hayes S.J., rector of the Jesuit community, delivered a blessing before the tree was planted.

Tarumitra currently enrolls 55,000 members through 900 high schools and colleges in 18 states of India, and student delegates attend global conferences around the world every year. Fr. Athickal has built a bio-reserve and training center on 10 acres of the property of the Jesuit novitiate in the state of Bihar. At one time there were thousands of species of plants and trees in Bihar; now there are less than 50.

Holy Cross president Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., presented Fr. Athickal’s honorary Doctor of Ministry degree, with a citation that read, in part:  “As a Jesuit, you have been trained to see God in all things — especially the natural world in which the wonders of creation continue to unfold. How fine and how appropriate, then, that you have found vigorous expression for your spiritual energy in your efforts to rescue our planet from environmental ruin. Amid dire warnings of ecological wreckage, you have found a mission born of your Jesuit vision. We can imagine Ignatius himself smiling upon Tarumitra.”

Pictured: Rev. Robert Athickal, S.J., founder of Tarumitra, poses next to a Linden tree that was planted in his honor. Related Information:

• Commencement 2008 • Read about the grounds in the current issue of Holy Cross Magazine • Read a profile of Jim Long, who has worked on the grounds for 50 years, in the current issue of Holy Cross Magazine