Students Across India Skip School in Support of Global Protest Demanding Climate Change Action

Indian students of all ages and backgrounds streamed out from schools across the country on Friday, March 15. Like most mass bunks, this one was planned in advance; unlike most mass bunks, this one was trying to save the world.

After seeing their elders fail to effectively deal with global pollution levels and the subsequent climate change again and again, children around the world have decided to take matters into their own hands.

That's why, on March 15, tens of thousands of students worldwide cut class and took to the streets to demand that elected officials act. The global climate strike is an offshoot of the #FridaysForFuture movement, which has been active around the world for months.

It all began with Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old environmental activist, who in August 2018 started skipping school on Fridays to protest outside Sweden's parliament.

Fridays for future. The school strike continues! #climatestrike #klimatstrejk #FridaysForFuture pic.twitter.com/5jej011Qtp

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 16, 2018

She came under the world's spotlight after she excorciated the world leaders from Indian PM Narendra Modi to POTUS Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum by telling them they were to blame for the worsening climate crisis. Before that, she delivered a blistering speech at the United Nations' climate conference COP24, telling climate negotiators they weren't "mature enough to tell it like it is."

Thunberg has said she won't stop her sit-ins until Sweden is in line with the Paris Agreement, an accord that aims to limit a global temperature rise this century to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In recognition of her efforts, the 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist was just been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, by three Norwegian lawmakers.

Her protests have inspired millions of young people around the world. Students in countries including Australia, Thailand, Uganda and the United Kingdom have already skipped school to demand that their governments act against climate change.

Held during school hours of countries at their local times, the global protest, orchestrated by various environmental and student groups in concert with Thunberg, saw students from 2050 cities in 123 countries take part.

In In India, there are multiple cities participating in the movement, with schools and student groups from metropolitans like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Gurugram, to smaller cities like Bhavnagar in Gujarat, Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, and Udaipur in Rajasthan to villages in Bihar, voicing their concern over the planet's fate.

Latest update say:2052 places in 123 countries on all continents, including Antarctica. So, the question is:What will you do on March 15 2019? https://t.co/ROmtFMrj6Y#schoolstrike4climate #FridaysForFurture #climatestrike #WhateverItTakes (picture from Sydney today) pic.twitter.com/oFr6IryCnk

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) March 15, 2019

We made it. Indian youth stands for #ClimateAction.#GlobalStrike in Delhi. Students, activists, different organisations and pregnant women come forward for the future#FridaysForFuture#ClimateStrike pic.twitter.com/Gfm7qlztnQ

— John Paul Jose (@johnpauljos) March 15, 2019

#GlobalStrike in Delhi#FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike #ExtinctionRebellion pic.twitter.com/AAQ6mfdXFf

— Climate Strike India (@climatestrikeIN) March 15, 2019

#GlobalStrike in Delhi 100s of students join for their future. #FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike#ExtinctionRebellion pic.twitter.com/2y1Wy82gK6

— John Paul Jose (@johnpauljos) March 15, 2019

LIVE: Young climate warriors in Delhi are demanding Governments STOP COAL!Act on Climate now!#SchoolStrikeForClimate #ClimateStrike #FridaysForFuture @9isM9 pic.twitter.com/SOHnuVz2Ah

— Greenpeace India (@greenpeaceindia) March 15, 2019

#RuralIndia also demanding Green GovernanceChildren from Bela Village of Jamui, Bihar#climatestrike #ClimateStrikeIndia @greenpeaceindia@GretaThunberg pic.twitter.com/3aufinZgvd

— Ishteyaque Ahmad (@muktigami) March 15, 2019

View this post on Instagram

Kidizens joining the march with @gretathunberg and @fff_europe and @fridaysforfuture.india

A post shared by NineisMine (@9ism9) on Mar 15, 2019 at 2:32am PDT

#climatestrike #Mumbai #India #FridaysForFuture #15thmarch pic.twitter.com/bHArpGOC1K

— Mr. Beginning (@BgiNNinGG) March 15, 2019

Bangalore, India joined #GlobalStrike#FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike https://t.co/7Yg8OVImzt

— Climate Strike India (@climatestrikeIN) March 15, 2019

#FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike #ClimateActionNow @GretaThunberg#Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/K71lfHpMyF

— Prathyusha Parakala (@PrathyushaCFA18) March 15, 2019

Punekars are going to join the worldwide phenomenon: #climatestrikes Join them. #FridayForFuture @GretaThunberg @Fridays4future @Amitav20742 @AnupamSaraph @vpshali25 @ravisinha_india @puneevents_com @LoksattaLive @IndianExpress @PuneNGOs @terriblytiny @yuvadesh @NGKids @PMCPune pic.twitter.com/ClqomGrtVL

— Climate Collective Pune (@PuneCliC) March 15, 2019

You can find the other cities and schools participating here.