On 24th September 2021, I joined my second strike. 

These two days were extraordinary. Not only from the perspective of environment and climate, such that it presented a picture of the power of public to demand change to the government, but also from a personal perspective. The strike was a global event, and took place in a large number of countries. For the sake of the reader, these strikes became a global movement after the rise of the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to demand climate action and the following report narrates the Global Climate Strike that took place at the Delhi Secretariat. All the participants marched from Income Tax Office (ITO Metro Station) where all had gathered, right to the Delhi Secretariat. It was 3 pm IST when a few protestors gathered, then a few more, and then suddenly it was 100 plus protestors on the bustling streets of the capital. Covid protocols were clearly visible and the participants had their masks on. The strike was arranged by the Delhi chapter of Fridays for Future team, of which I am a part of at the time of writing this, and the Indian chapter of Youth for Climate team. A thirteen page demand letter was the focal point of the protest and laid various demands regarding climate action some of which were - introducing dedicated classes to studying about local flora and fauna, threats to the environment, and engaging children in gardening, composting, upcycling etc, demanding strategies like congestion pricing, higher costs of parking supplemented with infrastructural support to reduce private vehicle usage among many more.

Most of the protestors were local residents of Delhi except a few, including me who was travelling to Delhi from my hometown 230kms away. The weather was overcast but the heat was still scorching and the atmosphere weary. By the time it was 6pm, our delegates had entered into the capitol building and the strike almost came to an end. After some time, when our delegates came out, the meeting with the officials was not very prolific, they said. And the last protestors waiting also left. When everyone had left and I was wandering around to find some retreat in an alien city, I collected my thoughts and wondered what all positives had resulted out of the strike..

When my mind was reeling in the strike, I felt pretty grateful that I could be a part of the historic event to demand climate action. The friendships that had been formed and the camaraderie that we shared totally melted my heart - I felt utterly grateful to make new friends who shared the same interests and were concerned about the future - the future of Earth and humanity. It is not everyday that you feel so unified and purposeful, so I completely embraced the day and when I was leaving, I only wished if this day could last a little more..