Madhav Gadgil Honored with UNEP's Champion of the Earth 2024

Madhav Gadgil, a champion of the environment and defender of the Western Ghats, chaired the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel in 2011 and produced a report on environmental protection strategies honored with Champion of the Earth Award 2024.

Global Recognition and Lifetime Achievement

Madhav Gadgil honored with the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Champions of the Earth Award in 2024
Recognized in the Lifetime Achievement category for six decades of environmental research and advocacy
Authored seven books and over 225 scientific papers highlighting environmental challenges
Served on prestigious committees, including the Prime Minister's Scientific Advisory Council
Received international recognition for research that influenced global organizations like the World Heritage Committee and International Union for Conservation of Nature

Groundbreaking Environmental Research and Recommendations

In 2011, Gadgil chaired the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, producing a landmark report that proposed comprehensive environmental protection strategies
Recommended declaring 75% of the Western Ghats (129,037 sq km) as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
Proposed zoning the region based on environmental sensitivity and recommended banning mining, quarrying, and new thermal power plants in critical areas
His recommendations challenged existing development paradigms by prioritizing ecological preservation over unrestricted industrial expansion

Community-Driven Conservation Approach

Pioneered a unique approach to environmental conservation that actively involves local communities
Established India's first biosphere reserve, the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, in 1986
Emphasized the importance of engaging forest communities in conservation efforts
Played a crucial role in shaping India's Biological Diversity Act and contributing to the Forest Rights Act
Advocated for sustainable resource management that balances ecological preservation with community needs

Banu Mushtaq International Booker Prize

Banu Mushtaq's victory as the first Kannada novelist to get the International Booker Prize was a time of great pride and history for India. Her acclaimed Heart Lamp short story collection,

City Union Bank's Back-to-Back Victory at IBA Banking Technology Awards

For the second year in a row, City Union Bank won seven awards at the 19th IBA Banking Technology Conference 2023. Recognized in areas such as AI & ML, financial inclusion, digital eng

WEF 2025: Crystal Awards Recognize Beckham, Furstenberg, and Yamamoto

At the 55th World Economic Forum in Davos, David Beckham, Diane von Furstenberg, and Riken Yamamoto were awarded the Crystal Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to soci

INCOIS Receives Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in Hyderabad has been honored with the esteemed Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 for its outstanding e

Urbasi Sinha Awarded the Gates-Cambridge Impact Prize 2025

Professor Urbasi Sinha of the Raman Research Institute has been awarded the Gates-Cambridge Impact Prize 2025 in recognition of her pioneering work in quantum communication, computing, and

President Murmu Presents National Sports Awards 2025 to Winners

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Sports Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan, recognizing India's leading athletes for their exceptional accomplishments. Among the awardees were

Sai Paranjpye to be Honored with Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at AIFF 2025

Veteran filmmaker and writer Sai Paranjpye will receive the prestigious Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF) 2025. Widely admir

Prativa Satpathy to Receive Gangadhar National Award for Poetry 2023

Acclaimed Odia poet Prativa Satpathy will be honored with the prestigious Gangadhar National Award for Poetry 2023 on January 5, 2025, during the 58th foundation day celebration of Sa

D. Gukesh Becomes the World's Youngest Chess Champion

At just 11, Gukesh declared his dream of becoming the world's youngest chess champion, narrowly missing it by 17 days. He became India's youngest grandmaster and replaced Visw

UNESCO Honors Tamil Nadu Abathsahayeshwarar Temple

UNESCO has recognized the remarkable restoration of the Tamil Nadu Abathsahayeshwarar Temple, a 1,300-year-old Chola dynasty structure in Thanjavur district. The temple, originally kn