It’s difficult to believe that Bittu Sahgal is 72. India’s original environmentalist (he launched Sanctuary Asia magazine in 1981) speaks with a teenager’s enthusiasm and energy about the issues that have haunted him for decades—climate change, Earth’s depleting resources and mankind’s consistent myopia. Over a vegan meal at Sequel Bistro in Mumbai, Sahgal explained why we all need to care more about the planet.
Anupama Chopra: You were talking about climate change when none of us had even heard of it. The conversation has now become a lot more urgent. What has it been like for you?
Bittu Sahgal: To be perfectly honest, I’ve given up on my generation. There are these four horsemen of the apocalypse that we seem drawn to: ignorance, arrogance, avarice and apathy. I’ve been fighting them for 40 years and I don’t see us anywhere close to winning the battle. So, I work with kids. I find that they don’t have the same cynicism as adults. They are trusting, but straightforward.
AC: How did your crusade to save the planet begin?
This story is from the January 2020 edition of VOGUE India.
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This story is from the January 2020 edition of VOGUE India.
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