New Delhi, March 18:
Renowned wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey and educationist Shivani Wazir Pasrich today launched The Lonely Rhino, a children’s book by young author Saessha Passi, at The Study School, East of Kailash. The event brought together voices from conservation, education, and publishing, highlighting the growing role of young changemakers in building environmental awareness.
Saessha Passi, a Grade 11 student, authored The Lonely Rhino, which tells the story of Ravi, a young rhino navigating loneliness, identity, and belonging, while drawing attention to the urgent need for wildlife conservation in India. Over the past three years, Saessha has actively raised awareness about saving the Indian rhino, combining advocacy with storytelling.
Milap Publications published the book under its League of Extraordinary Young Writers (LXY) programme, an initiative that mentors and promotes young authors focused on socially relevant storytelling.
Speaking at the launch, Mike Pandey emphasised that compassion — not just laws — drives real change in conservation. He stated, “If we can inspire children to care, we can change the future of our wildlife — stories like this are where that change begins.” He also highlighted the ongoing environmental crisis, pointing to climate change, pollution, and unchecked human greed, and stressed that humans must recognise their interdependence with other life forms rather than assume dominance over the planet.
Pandey further underlined the importance of early engagement, noting that platforms like these help shape values of empathy and responsibility among children. He also raised concerns about plastic pollution and environmental degradation, warning that current patterns of consumption could severely impact ecosystems in the future.
Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Director of The Study School, reiterated the institution’s vision, stating that it focuses on nurturing very young “Soldiers of Suistainability” through their nature centric approach. The school was recently honored with a sustainability award from the Education Minister, reflecting its deep commitment to responsible education. A passionate advocate for conservation, Shivani is also closely associated with the “I Am the Tiger” project, dedicated to tiger conservation in India. She appreciated Saessha’s passion and said the school is glad to be associated with Saessha’s book which reflects her passion and makes her an Earth Warrior!
Yogi Suri, Managing Editor at Milap Publications, highlighted the impact of the LXY programme, stating, “LXY’s true success lies in nurturing empathetic young voices like Saessha, who turn storytelling into a meaningful agent for change.”
Alongside her writing, Saessha Passi leads conservation efforts through her initiative STIR (Save the Indian Rhino), where she conducts workshops and raises funds to support wildlife protection.
Educators, students, and members of the literary and environmental community attended the event, reinforcing the importance of collective action in promoting environmental consciousness.
The Lonely Rhino, published by Milap Publications, is aimed at young readers and combines storytelling with strong messages on empathy, self-acceptance, and environmental responsibility.
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