On February 25, 2025, Goa and Maharashtra recorded India’s first heatwave of the year, marking the first time a heatwave has occurred during the winter season (January–February) as defined by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This unusual event sent a reminder across the country that India has been witnessing an intense and prolonged period of hot temperatures year on year, which have intensified even more in recent years, and 2024 was recorded as the hottest year on record. Between 2000 and 2020, a staggering 17,767 lives were lost not to war or natural calamities but to the searing grip of heatwaves. These deaths were reported by the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) through state-reported disaster mortality. Behind each life lost due to the intensifying climate crisis lies an invisible emergency that’s claiming lives, often without warning or accountability.