WWF-India & PATA announce the Bagh Mitra Awards 2015

New Delhi: WWF-India in collaboration with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced the annual WWF-PATA Bagh Mitra 2015 on 19 December in New Delhi. Mr. Inder Sharma, Trustee, PATA Foundation and Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF India felicitated the winners yesterday at the award ceremony. The event was also attended byrepresentatives from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Forest Department, National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change of Govt. of India, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), members of the media, civil society representatives, students and WWF-India staff.
 
The award recognizes and honours the numerous stories of persistence, courage and conviction demonstrated by the forest department staff, community members and organizations working towards tiger conservation.
 
For the year 2015, the WWF-PATA Bagh Mitra Awards have been awarded in the following two categories to –
 

1. Organisation Category- Pench-Bor Tiger Conservation Foundation, Maharashtra
2. Individual Category- Mr. Ashish Tiwari, Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh

 
The Pench-Bor Tiger Reserve Conservation Foundation,  awarded in the organization category, received the honour on the basis of their work to promote job based skill development aimed at youth and women folk of the region. Through this initiative over 1200 youth have been provided with alternate livelihood option. The Foundation has also initiated a unique Green School Programme, reaching out to nearly half a lakh school students to create awareness on wildlife and nature conservation.
 
Mr Ashish Tiwari, Special Secretary, Forest & Environment, Government of Uttar Pradesh, awarded under the Individual category,has played an instrumental role in bringing various stakeholders such as inter-agency cooperation involving enforcement agencies, civil society representatives like WWF,Katerniaghat Foundation, media, judiciary and the trans-boundary Nepal police and forces for effective conservation. He has worked in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve for more than 6 years and has been at the helm of operations in the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary for over 2 years.  
 
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India, said, “It gives me great pleasure to host the annual WWF - PATA Bagh Mitra Awards. Our teams in WWF India and our partners have been inspired by the remarkable work done by the Pench-Bor Tiger Conservation Foundation and Mr. Ashish Tiwari at Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary for conservation of wild tigers and their habitats. With increasing impacts on wildlife and habitats emanating from development related pressures, it’s commendable that both areas saw leadership and proficiencies in conservation initiatives at Pench-Bor Tiger Conservation Foundation and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
 
Mr. Inder Sharma, representative of PATA Foundation encouraged members of the tourism industry to sustain their efforts and also continue to recognize the men and women in the field of this noble cause. He took the opportunity to thank WWF- India for their technical support in identifying worthy winners of the WWF-PATA Bagh Mitra Awards.
 
By felicitating and honouring these individuals and organizations, WWF-India hopes to create an environment where individuals and organizations are inspired to work towards preserving the National Animal of India, the tiger.  
For more information, contact:
 
RituparnaSengupta
Senior Manager – Campaign, Brand and Media
WWF-India
Email: rsengupta@wwfindia.net
Phone: 011-41504831
 
Indira Akoijam,
Manager - Communications, Species and Landscapes,
WWF-India
Email: iakoijam@wwfindia.net
Phone: 011-41504783