Thiruvananthapuram: Twenty-six Forest Department officials have been honoured with the Chief Minister’s Forest Medal for 2025 in recognition of their distinguished service in forest and wildlife conservation. The award, presented annually, acknowledges employees who have made exceptional contributions to protecting Kerala’s forests.
Honouring Conservation Excellence
The recipients for 2025 include:
- Range Forest Officer – Subair N.
- Deputy Range Forest Officer – Anandan K.V.
- Section Forest Officers – Muhammad Raushad K.J., Praveen P.U., Sabu J.B., Anandan P.V., and Jijil K.
- Beat Forest Officers – Sajeesh Kumar G., Abhilash P.R., Ahalya Raj, Justin John, Aju T., Dilip Kumar M., Najeev P.M., Rajeev K.R., Greeshma M., Biju P., Suresh Babu C., Pradeep Kumar N.P., Cyril Sebastian, Sini T.M., and Sandeep K.O.
- Forest Driver – Jitesh P.
- Forest Watchers – Shaji K.B., O.K. Rajendran, and Kalidas S.
Recognition Across Key Conservation Roles
The Chief Minister’s Forest Medal recognises commendable service in multiple areas, including forest and wildlife conservation, prevention and eradication of forest encroachment, investigation of forest crimes, and prevention and control of forest fires. It also honours work in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts, advancing participatory forest management, and supporting the upliftment of forest-dependent Scheduled Tribes.
Significance and History of the Award
Instituted by the Kerala government to acknowledge outstanding contributions by Forest Department personnel, the Chief Minister’s Forest Medal serves both as a symbol of honour and as a motivator for continued excellence in conservation efforts. Over the years, the medal has highlighted the dedication of officers and staff who go beyond routine duties to protect the state’s ecological wealth, often in challenging and high-risk conditions. By recognising such service annually, the government seeks to inspire sustained commitment to preserving Kerala’s biodiversity.
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