Skip to content Skip to navigation

Assam Shines at Sanctuary Wildlife Awards

By AT News |

At the Sanctuary Wildlife Awards ceremony in Mumbai last night, environmentalist Rituraj Phukan was honoured with a Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award. The Nagaon based Climate Reality Leader is a renowned environmental writer, adventurer and conservationist who has represented the region and country in numerous global climate change events. 

The loudest applause of the night was for 23 year old Munmuni Payeng, who won the Young Naturalist Award for her work with grassroots communities. It must be mentioned that she is the daughter of Padma Shree Jadav Payeng, famous as the Forest Man of India.

Eminent conservation scientist Dr. Vibhu Prakash, whose is known for his pioneering work on vultures and was instrumental in setting up the Vulture Breeding Centre in Rani, Assam, won the Lifetime Service Award.

"The Sanctuary Wildlife Awards were launched in 2000, and our strategy then was to hone in on virtually unknown wildlife defenders, shine a spotlight on their work, and a European some of the most prominent and credible individuals present them with recognition and admiration in the form of awards and public recognition. The Earth Defenders included forest guards and middle level forest officers,  quiet but brilliant scientists, teachers, young adults and photographers. They all had one thing in common…a burning desire to protect the biosphere and leave a better, safer planet for future generations," said Bittu Sahgal, Founder of Sanctuary Nature Foundation and Editor, Sanctuary Asia. 

Bangalore based Ramana Athreya, known for the discovery of the Bugun Liocichla bird in Arunachal Pradesh, educationist Panchami Manoo Ukil from Odisha, conservationist Arun Venkataraman from Tamil Nadu, naturalist Shabbir Husain from Kashmir were the other Wildlife Service winners.

The Sanctuary Wildlife Awards were presented by former Punjab Police chief Padma Bhushan Julio Rebeiro, UN Goodwill Ambassador and actress Dia Mirza, Bombay Natural History Society Director Dr. Bivash Pandav, and other dignitaries at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai on 2nd December. 

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

65th Foundation Day of College of Veterinary Science

19 Aug 2012 - 8:39pm | editor
The 65TH Foundation Day of the College of Veterinary Science (C.V.Sc.), Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara was celebrated with pomp and gaiety on 18th August 2012 with a day long programme. The...

Newborn found abandoned

8 Oct 2017 - 5:10pm | Ranjanjyoti Mahanta
A newborn baby was left  abandoned with a note (letter) in a gateway shed at Nij Demow under Bebejia police outpost in the Nagaon district on Sunday morning. The boy has been admitted...

One dead, 20 injured in a bus mishap at Kaljhar, near Howly

9 Jul 2009 - 1:34pm | Juthika Das
One person died and about 20 others injured in a bus accident at Kaljhar, near Howly in Barpeta district today at around 4 pm. A Tinsukia-bounded bus (No- AS-01-V1367) set out from Barpeta Road met...

Trouble for Ranee, Gaurab!

22 Mar 2014 - 1:12pm | AT News
In a major development that can jeopardize the poll prospects of two ruling party candidates, Chatra Mukti Songram Samiti on Saturday has moved the Election Commission alleging false information by...

Other Contents by Author

TISS Guwahati Hosts 11th Convocation, Emphasizing Leadership and Social Impact

Guwahati, 25 October 2024 – Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Guwahati Off-Campus celebrated its 11th Convocation for the graduating class of 2024 at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre Auditorium, Guwahati. Distinguished guests included Chief Guest Prof. Gauri Dutt Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), TISS Chancellor Prof. D.P. Singh, and other dignitaries who gathered to commemorate the achievements of the graduates. The ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp, accompanied by Saraswati Vandana. In his welcome address, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Shankar Das congratulated the 165 graduates—five Ph.D. scholars, 112 postgraduates, and...

Guwahati: Chalachitram Film Festival Kicks Off

Guwahati: The annual Chalachitram National Film Festival will begin on Saturday in Guwahati, Assam. This year's festival, themed "Our Heritage, Our Pride," will showcase 50 documentary and short feature films.  The two-day event, organized by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra Assam, aims to foster nationalism through film and pay tribute to India's rich heritage. The festival will be inaugurated at Jyoti Chitraban premises in Kahilipara on October 26. A variety of films from across India will be screened, covering topics such as land and people, tourism, arts, handicrafts, and social issues. The inaugural film will be "The Last Generation," directed by Prabal...

Golok Samman 2023 Announced: Four Young Honourees Recognized

The prestigious Golok Samman for 2023 has been announced, honoring four distinguished young individuals for their exceptional contributions in the fields of art, translation, research, and environmental activism. The award, instituted by the UD Foundation in memory of the noted translator and social worker Golok Chandra Datta, celebrates those who have made significant cultural and social impacts in Assam. This year’s recipients are Dr. Sanjeev Bora, a renowned artist; Avantika Parashar, a noted translator; Rajesh Dattabaruah, an environmental activist; and Dr. Baburam Saikia, a Sattriya dancer and researcher. Recognizing Talent in Art and Visual Media Dr. Sanjeev Bora has been...

Assam Times Seeks Passionate English to Assamese Translators!

Join Our Dedicated Volunteer Team! Assam Times, a volunteer-run news platform established in 2007, is seeking talented individuals to join our team as English to Assamese volunteer translators. Are you: A native Assamese speaker with excellent fluency in written English? Passionate about accurate and culturally sensitive translations? Committed to delivering high-quality content for our readers? If so, we want to hear from you! Responsibilities: Translate a variety of news articles and content from English to Assamese, ensuring accuracy and clarity. Maintain a consistent and high-quality writing style for Assam Times. Meet deadlines and communicate...

Aaranyak Launches Hoolock Gibbon Conservation Education Program in Arunachal Pradesh

Guwahati, September 18: Aaranyak, in partnership with the Namdapha Tiger Reserve Authority and supported by the Arcus Foundation, has initiated a groundbreaking Hoolock gibbon conservation education program in the fringe areas of Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh. This initiative, which commenced on August 22, is the first of its kind in the state and aims to create a community of young conservationists who can actively contribute to the protection of this endangered primate. The program has reached 17 schools in the Miao subdivision, covering students from upper primary to higher secondary levels. The sessions, conducted by the Primate Research and...

The Unhealthy Truth: Ultra-Processed Foods and Heart Health

Diets rich in ultra-processed foods have long been associated with a myriad of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even premature death. However, the vast category of ultra-processed foods encompasses a wide range of products, from seemingly benign options like whole-grain bread and plant-based milk to more obvious culprits like hot dogs and sugary sodas. A recent groundbreaking study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has shed new light on the specific types of ultra-processed foods that pose the greatest risk to heart health. This comprehensive study, published in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas, analyzed data...

Kaziranga's Future at Stake: The Clash Between Tourism and Conservation

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its one-horned rhinoceros and diverse ecosystems, is at a critical crossroads. Known for its rich biodiversity and the harmonious coexistence of local communities with nature, Kaziranga's landscape and social fabric are under threat. The Assam government's push to boost tourism by transferring land adjacent to the park to private hospitality industries has sparked significant controversy, raising concerns over the rights of indigenous communities and the ecological future of the region. The Push for Luxury Tourism Today marks a significant step in the Assam government's tourism agenda, with the signing of another...

From Ash to Apples: Diet, the New Smoking

The mid-20th century in America was a time when smoking was as normal and ubiquitous as eating. Picture this: in 1956, the average American smoked about 4,000 cigarettes a year. That’s a half-pack a day, for everyone—men, women, and even some children were all puffing away, encouraged by a relentless media, celebrities, and even health professionals. Fast forward to 2019, and while smoking rates have plummeted, a new health crisis has taken its place—our diet. Today, the leading cause of death and disability in the United States is not smoking; it's what we eat. The Global Burden of Disease Study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, identifies poor diet as the #1 cause of...

Opposition Leaders File Police Complaint Against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Amid Rising Controversy Over Anti-Muslim Remarks

A day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that he "will take sides" and "will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam," opposition leaders filed a police complaint on August 27 accusing him of promoting enmity between different religious and ethnic groups. The complaint was lodged at the Dispur police station by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and Assam Jatiya Parishad's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, representing the United Opposition Forum, a coalition of groups opposed to the BJP and its allies. The complaint, supported by Independent Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan, Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia, and Congress...

Assam : Where indigenous confronts suspected nationals

During our school days, when the historic Assam agitation broke out, we used to go to Tihu town in western Assam for joining  various protest demonstrations against the outsiders (read non-Assamese Indians) and the movement was initially known as ‘Bohiragata Kheda Andolan’ (literary meaning agitation to deport outsiders) to create a prosperous Assam for the indigenous population. Later it was redefined as the agitation against illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi/East Pakistani nationals) by the intellectuals and media barons in Guwahati, the virtual capital of northeast India. Simultaneously an armed movement also surfaced with an initial trigger from the economic domination of Hindi...