During the holidays, while his friends traveled abroad, Aman Sharma visited bird sanctuaries and national parks. His parents encouraged him to become closer to India's natural heritage.
At the age of thirteen, he began observing birds from his balcony in Delhi. Early morning hours turned into a peaceful ritual for him. He soon realized that there was much more life hidden in the city outside his home than he had imagined.
He recalls how a bulbull nested on his balcony one day. He was so excited that he borrowed his mother's camera to capture the moment. This incident gave his daily birdwatching a special significance.
Aman realized that many people around him were unaware of how much wildlife inhabited Delhi. He started photographing birds, and then expanded his interest beyond the balcony and into the city itself.
At fourteen, Aman co-founded 'Kuku Nature Club' with two other children. He noted that he wanted the club to be different from others. They started organizing walks for children and trips to national parks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine in 2020, when Aman was about seventeen, he could not visit forests. Therefore, he paid attention to his 1500 square foot terrace, which at the time was empty and cluttered with construction equipment. After studying terrace gardening, Aman began planting local plant species. During trips around Delhi, he searched for cuttings and saplings to bring home. Over time, the empty terrace transformed into a green area designed to support local fauna.
Today, at twenty-three years old, Aman's terrace has over 500 plants. The previously barren 1500 square foot space has become a green area that attracts hundreds of birds and butterflies. To attract butterflies, he recommends using host plants such as powder flower, milkweed, lemon tree, and curry leaves. Fruit-bearing trees can attract birds, and flowering plants can attract bees.
Aman believes that young people should stop waiting for heroes and become them themselves, believing that individual actions can bring about significant environmental change. His journey started with one bird on a balcony, and after years, this curiosity grew into a terrace ecosystem where plants, birds, and butterflies thrive together.