Kirtida Mekani, Singapore’s 'tree lady', dies at 66

Singapore: Kirtida Mekani, who came from Karnataka and became one of Singapore’s most influential champions of environmental sustainability, community service and cultural heritage, has passed away after suffering a massive heart at home. She was 66.

A recipient of the President’s Award for environment work and an inductee of the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2024, Mekani’s legacy is woven into the island’s green spaces, community gardens, educational institutions and cultural landmarks, reported online tabloid tabla!

The sudden passing off “Tree Lady”, as she was affectionately called, On January 19 has left a profound void in Singapore’s environment, arts, and civic communities – circles she shaped quietly yet decisively for more than three decades.

Mekani’s lifelong love for nature began in childhood on her family’s farm in Karnataka. A simple yet transformative moment – discovering how a “smelly” compost pit turned into fertile soil – opened her eyes to nature’s regenerative power.

That early lesson stayed with her, shaping a philosophy that nature, if understood and respected, could teach humanity how to live sustainably.

When she moved to Singapore with her husband Bharat Mekani in 1990, she was immediately struck by the greenery along the drive from the Changi Airport. That image, she often recalled, planted a seed that would later blossom into one of Singapore’s most successful citizen-led environmental initiatives.

In 1993, Mekani became the founding executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, where she spent four years designing and implementing more than 50 environmental protection and education programmes for schools, businesses, and communities.

Even after stepping down, she remained deeply involved in grassroots environmental education, mentoring young leaders, and advising organisations.

Her proudest achievement was the Plant-A-Tree Programme, launched in 2007 in partnership with Singapore’s National Parks Board under the Garden City Fund here.

The idea initially faced scepticism, with doubts over whether the public would participate. Mekani persisted – convinced Singaporeans would respond if given the chance to connect personally with nature. She was right.

Since its inception, the programme has seen over 76,000 trees planted, introduced more than 200 native species, and involved over 100,000 participants from all walks of life. It remains one of Singapore’s most enduring citizen-driven green initiatives.

Known affectionately as part of Singapore’s “green couple”, Mekani and Bharat combined business life with community service, quietly supporting causes through donations, volunteering, and board work.

Mekani served on the Garden City Fund Management Committee and was an ambassador for Community in Bloom, a nationwide movement that now supports 1,900 community gardens cared for by 45,000 volunteer gardeners.

Her philosophy was simple yet powerful: Sustainability must be lived, not lectured.

Mekani served as a trustee of the United World College of South East Asia Foundation, supporting the Rainforest Restoration Project, where students run nurseries growing threatened rainforest species for replanting along Singapore’s rail corridor.

In 2016, she co-founded the Biomimicry Singapore Network, uniting scientists, designers, engineers and entrepreneurs to explore nature-inspired innovation, according to the weekly report.

She also served on the board of World Wild Life (WWF) Singapore and as a trustee of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International, contributing to conservation efforts locally and globally, including marine conservation initiatives and coral restoration around the Kusu Island, off Singapore.

She also served on the board of LASALLE College of the Arts and on the management committee of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS).

SIFAS President K V Rao said: “Kirtida was a truly remarkable individual who endeared herself to everyone with her innate empathy for all living beings and the environment.”

An accomplished ceramist herself, Mekani also exhibited her artwork, embodying the belief that creativity and sustainability were deeply connected.

Her work earned her the President’s Award for the Environment in 2015, Singapore’s highest environmental honour, and her induction into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame as a Champion of the Environment in 2024.

Mekani husband Bharat told the tabloid, "Kirtida lived with a rare kindness and an unwavering sense of purpose."