First Ever India Biodiversity Award Presented in Hyderabad

The Government of India in collaboration with United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) announced Biodiversity award 2012 in Hyderabad on 17 October 2012.

The winners of the awards were: Pir Jahania Jungle Suraksha Samiti from Odisha in the community stewardship category, Shankarpur Village Gram Panchayat from Maharashtra in the category of decentralised management, Van Utthan Sansthan from Rajasthan in the category of co-management and Periyar Tiger Reserve in the protected areas category.

The programme was hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.The award recognizes the outstanding models of biodiversity governance across the country. The award was actually presented at ministerial reception of Eleventh Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

With the presentation of Award, the Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan announced that the India Biodiversity Awards will now be given annualy, to mark International Biodiversity Day on 22 May each year.

The winners of the India Biodiversity Awards represent innovative approaches that combine the basic needs of livelihoods, wellbeing and dignity while respecting biodiversity conservation and the earth’s limits.

The India Biodiversity Awards was declared after short listing people from 150 received nominations from across the country. A six-member jury for the awards was made which was headed by eminent agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan.