The 4th Edition of the Eco Warrior Awards 2026, organised by Indian Masterminds in association with the Indian Forest Service Association (IFSA), celebrated forest officers, conservationists and teams working to protect India’s forests, wildlife and biodiversity.
The awards recognised outstanding contributions across eight categories, with two winners selected in each individual category for the first time after evaluating more than 80 nominations from across the country.
From tiger and elephant conservation to community participation, technology-driven protection, habitat restoration and landmark conservation projects, the awardees demonstrated courage, innovation and commitment on the ground. A Lifetime Achievement Award also honoured decades of exceptional service to forest and wildlife conservation.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Brij Kishore Singh – 1976-batch IFS officer, Karnataka cadre; former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force. Recognised for his decades-long contribution to forest and wildlife conservation and his role in combating sandalwood smuggling and the Veerappan menace.
🐅 Protected Area Management
- Dr. Prakash Chand Gogineni – 2009-batch IFS officer, Conservator of Forests and In-charge Field Director, Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha. Recognised for strengthening tiger and wildlife conservation through technology, protection measures and community participation.
- Manish Singh – 2013-batch IFS officer, Divisional Forest Officer, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh. Honoured for strengthening wildlife protection and tiger conservation through innovative field-level measures and community engagement.
🐘 Wildlife Protection and Conservation
- Selvi S. Senbagapriya – 2013-batch IFS officer, DCF (Genetics), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Recognised for community-based conservation and scientific monitoring initiatives in the Mudumalai landscape.
- Dr. Sanjeev Sharma – 2018-batch IFS officer, DCF, Palampur Forest Division, Himachal Pradesh. Honoured for wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and anti-poaching operations.
🌱 Environment Conservation
- Dharm Singh Meena – 2009-batch IFS officer, Conservator of Forests, Bhagirathi Circle, Uttarakhand. Recognised for restoring springs and streams through scientific water-conservation interventions.
- Suman Shivashankar Sivachar W.M. – 2013-batch IFS officer, DFO, Wokha, Nagaland. Honoured for protecting Amur falcons, involving former hunters in anti-poaching efforts and conserving the Doyang Reservoir ecosystem.
🤝 Community Connect
- Dhawan Kumar Rawat – 2017-batch IFS officer, DFO, Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. Recognised for linking wildlife conservation with community livelihoods and strengthening local participation in conservation.
- Gurharsh Singh – 2021 batch IFS officer and DCF, Rampur, Himachal Pradesh. Honoured for constructing a timber bridge within six hours after the Samej cloudburst, facilitating rescue and relief operations.
💻 Best Use of Technology
- N. Jayaraj – 2013-batch IFS officer, Wildlife Warden, Hosur, Tamil Nadu. Recognised for introducing an AI-based surveillance and early-warning system to protect elephants near a vulnerable railway stretch.
- Ramsundar M. – 2019 batch IFS officer and Director, Rajgir Zoo Safari, Bihar. Honoured for using digital booking systems, CCTV surveillance and GPS tracking to improve zoo management and visitor and wildlife monitoring.
⭐ Special Jury Award
- Savita Dahiya — 2013-batch IFS officer, DCF, Barmer, Rajasthan. Recognised for restoring Tal Chhapar grassland and improving habitat conditions for blackbucks and chinkaras.
- K. Karthikeyani — DFO, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. Honoured for a campaign that resulted in the removal of 239 illegal guns from the landscape and strengthened elephant protection.
🌏 Special Projects
Project Elephant
- Ramesh Kumar Pandey — Additional Director General of Wildlife. Recognised for his leadership in the landmark Project Elephant conservation initiative.
- Dr. Parag Nigam — Scientist, Wildlife Institute of India. Received the award on behalf of Project Elephant.
- Dr. Vaibhav C. Mathur — Inspector General of Forests. Received the award on behalf of Project Elephant.
Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Conservation Project
- Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj — Director, Wildlife Institute of India. Represented the Great Indian Bustard conservation project team.
- Dr. Tushna Karkaria — Project Scientist and Senior Veterinarian. Recognised as part of the Great Indian Bustard conservation team.
- Dr. Vaibhav Mathur — Recognised as part of the Great Indian Bustard conservation team.
- KCA Arun Prasad — Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan. Recognised for his contribution to the Great Indian Bustard conservation initiative.
🌿 Celebrating India’s Conservation Champions
The Eco Warrior Awards 2026 brought together forest officers, conservationists, scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders to celebrate those working at the forefront of environmental protection. The awardees represent diverse approaches to conservation – from technology and scientific monitoring to community participation, habitat restoration, wildlife protection and large-scale species recovery projects – reflecting India’s continuing efforts to safeguard its natural heritage.
