RBS Foundation, a non-profit organisation promoted by the Royal Bank of Scotland, will give away the first RBS Earth Heroes awards on Monday.
Now in its first year, the awards recognize the conservation efforts of individuals and groups in four unique categories: RBS ‘Earth Guardian’ Award, RBS ‘Protect the Tiger’ Award, RBS ‘Inspire’ Award and RBS ‘Green Warrior’ Award. Individuals and organizations have been commended for their efforts at conservation of wildlife, natural resources, policy change, and advocacy in wildlife research, eco-development planning and implementation.
The winners were selected from a number of nominations received that applying through TigerLink, by a panel comprising of NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority), Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India; P. K. Sen, Executive Director, Ranthambhore Foundation and member NTCA; N. Sunil Kumar, RBS Foundation and Bahar Datta, Editor - Environment,
The 'Earth Guardian' Award goes to Aaranyak, based in Guwahati. The closely knit team of young environmental and wildlife scientists, researchers, specialists, community educators and livelihood workers have excelled in propelling themselves from a small Green Organization in 1989 to an internationally reputed biodiversity conservation NGO. Their researchers are now working overseas in South East Asia as well as most of the North Eastern States.
The 'Protect the Tiger' Award has been won by K. Thulsi Rao, Retd Dy Conservator of Forests and honorary Advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government. Rao weorked at Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve for 17 years resulting in NSTR evolving as one of the best protected areas in India spread over 4800 sq kms along with Gundla Brahmeswaram (GBM). The other winner is Daulat Singh, Range Forest Officer, Rajasthan, who has years of experience in enforcement, community engagement and handling of strayed carnivores. Badly mauled and maimed by a tiger while in action. Singh represents sustained efforts and commitment to work under very challenging circumstances of hostile communities, inadequate infrastructure and poor equipment.
The ‘Inspire’ Award has gone to television channel NDTV, which in 2008, launched a signature campaign asking for urgent action to be taken to save the country's national animal. In 2010, NDTV took up the campaign again—and besides various awareness programmes, campaigns across the country, it again pursued the cause with state governments.
The ‘Green Warrior’ Award went to Nanda Kishore Bhujabal, the man who initiated the poachers to protectors at Chilka Lake in Orissa. Mangalajodi, one of the largest villages on the banks of lake survived on subsistence fishing and poaching of migratory birds. After 12 years of sustained efforts, Mangalajodi stands out as an outstanding example of community protection of wild species.
