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. 

  • 31503 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Meeting Urges Tai-Ahoms to Record Taoism and Tai-Ahom as Mother Tongue in Census

Sivasagar, March 6: A meeting of organisations associated with the religious and intellectual affairs of the Tai-Ahom community was held on Thursday (March 5) at the public auditorium of Bakata Parijat Panchayat in Sivasagar district. The meeting was chaired by Jibeshwar Mohan Deva, founding principal of Tingkhang College. Several prominent personalities attended the meeting, including Manaranjan Baruah, president of the Mohan-Deodhai-Bailung Sanmilan; Vidya Phukan, president of the Mohan-Deodhai-Bailung Pandit Parishad; former president of Phra-Lung-Moung Assam Golap Gohain; secretary Pranjal Mohan; noted Tai cultural researcher Kamal Jyoti Mohan; Tai-Ahom scholar Nripen Mohan;...

Assam’s Move for OIL Stake Sparks Debate

Guwahati, Feb 28: The Assam government’s decision to seek a 5 per cent stake in Oil India Limited (OIL) has triggered discussion on the State’s long-term approach to the oil and gas sector in the Northeast. The proposal, under which Assam has sought a minority share in OIL — where the Government of India holds 56 per cent — will be examined by the Centre, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the State is extending full cooperation to oil sector companies and urged that shares be allocated to Assam to support smoother functioning and stronger coordination. Reacting to the development, Shantikam Hazarika — former Chairman of...

Citizen Flags Data, Nutrition Gaps in HPV Vaccination Drive

New Delhi, March 1: Concerns have been raised over the national HPV vaccination campaign launched on February 28, 2026, with a citizen questioning its scientific basis, operational preparedness, and public health prioritisation. In a public statement, Donthi N. Reddy said that not a single state has published baseline data on cervical cancer incidence or HPV prevalence prior to the rollout. Without such baseline indicators, he argued, outcomes cannot be measured, and without measurable outcomes, the reported annual expenditure of ₹1,300 crore cannot be properly evaluated. The campaign involves administration of the HPV vaccine Gardasil-4 to 14-year-old girls across the country, aiming...

NEADS Assam Participates in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development at UNESCAP

North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, participated in the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) from 24–27 February, 2026, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of NEADS, represented the organisation at the Forum. He also participated in his capacity as the Constituency Focal Point for People Affected by Conflicts and Disasters and as a Regional Coordinating Committee Member of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). During...

APCC Files ‘Chargesheet 2026’ Against BJP-Led Assam Government in ‘People’s Court’

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Wednesday submitted a detailed “Chargesheet 2026” against the BJP-led Assam government, symbolically placing it before what it termed the “People’s Court of Assam.” The chargesheet targets the government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, covering the period from May 10, 2021 to February 18, 2026. In a press briefing in Guwahati, APCC leaders alleged large-scale corruption, economic mismanagement, constitutional violations, and failure to protect the rights of indigenous communities. The document lists 20 major charges, including the alleged operation of a “syndicate raj,” accumulation of illegal wealth, rising public debt, and...

33 Dead in Meghalaya Illegal Mine Blast; Judicial Commission Formed

Shillong, February 16, 2026: The death toll in the devastating explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills has risen to 33, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma confirmed on Monday during a suo-motu statement in the State Assembly. The tragedy occurred on the morning of February 5 in the remote Mynsngat-Thangsko area, where an illegal “rat-hole” coal mine reportedly exploded, allegedly due to the unauthorized use of explosives inside narrow underground tunnels. The incident has triggered widespread outrage and prompted the state government to constitute a high-level Judicial Commission of Inquiry.   Initial rescue operations carried out by the NDRF, SDRF and...

SIT “Flop Show” Explodes: Gogoi Takes On Himanta, Puts 2026 in Play

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday launched a sharp counter-offensive against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling the much-hyped SIT report a “super flop” and accusing the CM of staging six months of political drama to divert attention from land and corruption allegations. Addressing a packed press conference at Rajiv Bhawan, Gogoi said the Chief Minister had kept the SIT report for six months, only to unveil it through a “manufactured spectacle” involving national media, which ultimately failed to produce a single piece of evidence against him. “He swung a mace in the air, but there was nothing in his hands,” Gogoi said. Flanked by MPs...

Nazira Dairy Project Collapses Amid Allegations of Mismanagement, Livelihoods Hit

A multi-crore dairy project at Sanbasa in Nazira has collapsed amid serious allegations of financial irregularities and internal mismanagement, dealing a severe blow to rural livelihoods in the area. The Sundarpukhuri Dairy Cooperative Society, formed by local farmers under the initiative of Dr. Jagadish Barman, once served as a crucial source of income for over 245 Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The cooperative reportedly contributed nearly ₹1 crore annually to the local rural economy. As part of its expansion, the cooperative launched its own marketing network under the brand name “Kareng” and set up a milk pasteurization plant at Sanbasa village. However, internal disputes...

Worse Than C-Grade Cinema’: Gogoi Attacks Assam CM

Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a recent press conference, dismissing it as “worse than a C-grade cinema” and accusing the Chief Minister of making baseless and sensational claims. The Chief Minister, however, maintained that the allegations involving Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi—wife of Gaurav Gogoi—were serious in nature and should not be treated lightly. Addressing the media, CM Sarma said the matter assumed greater significance as it involved a sitting Member of Parliament. “These are grave allegations. When a sitting MP, who...

Handique Girls’ College to Confer 3rd Rajabala Das National Award on Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty

Handique Girls’ College will confer the 3rd Rajabala Das National Award on noted author and senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, President of the Press Club of India, in recognition of her significant contributions to society and journalism. The award will be presented on March 8, 2026, at a special function to be held on the college campus. On the occasion, the Rajabala Das Memorial Annual Lecture will be delivered by eminent journalist and thinker Prasanta Rajguru, Editor-in-Chief of Prag News. Instituted in 2024, the Rajabala Das National Award is conferred annually on a personality of national stature who has made outstanding contributions to society. The award includes a...