Dehradun: In a significant moment for India’s forestry and environmental governance, the nation has received 109 new Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers from the 2023–2025 batch, trained at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA). The convocation ceremony, held at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) auditorium in Dehradun, marked the passing out of the largest IFS batch of the 21st century.
The batch also included two officers from Bhutan, bringing the total number of trained officers to 111.
Justice V Ramasubramanian Urges Integrity and Rule of Law
The Chief Guest, Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, addressed the graduating officers, emphasizing the importance of discipline, ethical conduct, and adherence to rules.
“Breaking rules might bring short-term gains, but long-term peace and success lie in upholding them,” he told the officers.
Kerala’s Midhun Mohan SB Bags Top Honours
The All-Round Outstanding Performance Award went to Midhun Mohan SB from the Kerala cadre, who also secured the BN Gaguli Academic Excellence Award and the KM Tiwari Memorial Award. His exceptional performance across academic and leadership parameters set him apart in this landmark batch.
Other Major Award Winners
Several officers received awards for excellence in specific domains-
- Best Forestry: Prithviraj KSB, Uttar Pradesh
- Topper in Forestry Subjects: Shobhit Joshi, Madhya Pradesh
- Hill Memorial & Sulochana Naidu Memorial Awards: Shobhit Joshi and Ajay Gupta, Madhya Pradesh
- Wildlife Management (EPG) & Nilgiri Club Awards: Ajay Gupta and Shubham Singh, Karnataka
- Senior Forester & DH Kulkarni Awards: Neelam M, Uttar Pradesh
- Spirit of 1982 Award (1st & 2nd): Prithviraj KSB (UP) and Shubham Singh (Karnataka)
22 Women Among 109 Indian Officers
Of the 109 IFS officers, 22 are women, reflecting a positive trend toward gender diversity in India’s premier environmental service. Notably, 50 officers scored more than 75%, underlining the academic rigour and quality of the batch.
Madhya Pradesh Tops State-wise Distribution
The batch had the highest representation from Madhya Pradesh (17), followed by Uttar Pradesh (12) and AGMUT (7). Here’s a brief state-wise breakdown-
- Madhya Pradesh – 17
- Uttar Pradesh – 12
- AGMUT – 7
- Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal – 6 each
- Andhra Pradesh, Himachal, Maharashtra – 5 each
- Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand – 4 each
- Assam–Meghalaya, Haryana, Uttarakhand – 3 each
- Bihar, Kerala – 2 each
- Punjab, Telangana, Tripura – 1 each
- Bhutan – 2
IGNFA Director Shares Legacy and Impact
Dr. Jagmohan Sharma, Director of IGNFA, shared that the institute has trained 367 Indian IFS officers and trainees from 14 friendly nations to date. He added that the 2023–25 batch has been sensitized to governance principles, environmental laws, biodiversity protection, and sustainability during their training.
Officials from various institutions, including Chief Forest Conservator Sameer Sinha, attended the ceremony.
