Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

The Khoshoo Memorial Award in Conservation, Environment and Development is given to an individual in the field of conservation and sustainable development. The award is a peer-level public recognition of excellence in the fields of conservation science, conservation policy and conservation action.

The Khoshoo Memorial Award is an annual event sponsored by the Khoshoo family, ATREE, the Ford Foundation, and the Institute of Rural Research and Development (an initiative of the S.M Sehgal Foundation). Apart from recognising outstanding contribution to ecology and environment in India, the award also supports two post doctoral research programmes in biodiversity. In 2011, the TN Khoshoo Ecology and Environment Award for Schools was also instituted as a core activity of the TN Khoshoo Endowment Fund.

The Memorial Award consists of a citation and a cash prize of Rs 100,000/- each. A scholar of international standing is invited to deliver the Khoshoo Memorial Lecture after the award ceremonies.

Dr Madhav Gadgil will give the 2012 TN Khoshoo Memorial Lecture on the subject ‘Western Ghats: Nature, People and Development’. This lecture will be part of the public lecture series of the Biodiversity Asia 2012: The 2nd Asia Regional Conference of the Society for Conservation Biology. The 9th TN Khoshoo Memorial Award and Lecture will be held on 8 August 2012, at the JN Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science, at 5.30 pm.

Recipients of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2011

Sandeep Tambe

Sandeep Tambe is Special Secretary in the Department of Rural Management and Development, Government of Sikkim. He has been responsible for the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), for which, today, Sikkim has achieved 85 days of ensured employment, against the national average of 47 days. Sikkim also scores high on the transparency safeguards front, having a universal coverage of independent, quality social audits.

Sandeep Tambe has been actively involved in the revival of springs, streams and lakes in drought prone areas of the state that has contributed rural water security. Before this, during his stint in the Forest Department and The Mountain Institute, Tambe was instrumental in initiating participatory protection of the biodiversity rich protected areas of Sikkim. This initiative, taken up in partnership with eco-development committees and local NGOs, has resulted in a measurable reduction of the threats to forests and wildlife.

Sandeep Tambe is a member of the Indian Forest Service. He graduated from IIT Mumbai, did his MSc from the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (FRI) and has a Ph.D. from the Wildlife Institute of India. He is photography, alpine flowers and trekking enthusiast.

Hemlatha Pradhan

Hemlata Pradhan’s aim is to ‘highlight India’s wild orchids and other plants in nature to bring about an awareness of what we are unwittingly losing…’

Hemlata Pradhan is a botanical illustrator, who comes from a family that has been raising orchids for five generations. She graduated with a diploma in Botanical Illustration with distinction from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and a Master's degree in Natural History Illustration and Ecological Studies from the Royal College of Art, London. She is the winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gold Medal as well as the 18th world Orchid Conference Gold Medal for her paintings of Indian Jewel Orchids and the Indian Wild Orchids. Her works are housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England and were exhibited at the British Museum's Clore Education Centre in 2009. Her orchid paintings also appear on a set of six postage stamps of Bhutan.

Hemlata Pradhan is passionate about the conservation of endangered orchids and other Indian plants. At present, she is involved in setting up a Natural History Art Institute in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, West Bengal, and getting Natural History Illustration recognition as a Fine Art subject in India. She is the First Honorary Secretary and Member of the ISROSG- Indian Sub-Continent Regional Orchid Specialist Group of the IUCN-International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/SSC-Species Survival Commission and the Trustee President of the Himalayan Trust for Natural History Art, Kalimpong, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, West Bengal, India.

Recipients of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2010

Joss Brooks

Joss Brooks came to Auroville near Pondicherry in 1970 to participate in the early pioneering work of the newborn community. In 1973 he established Pitchandikulam, dedicated to restoring the eroded 60 acres of Auroville Green Belt land. Now it is a vibrant forest with more than 600 species of plants, many with medicinal value, and a nursery that grows the endangered species of the almost extinct Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest found along the Coromandel Coast. In 1993, associating with the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), he developed the medicinal plant conservation park at Pitchandikulam. In 2002, the Nadukuppam Environment Education Centre was founded at a government high school near the wetland, from where a team of environmental education teachers from local villages began to work with school children, women’s groups and farmers to implement eco-restoration initiatives. In 2004, Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants was created to implement restoration work in other areas of Tamil Nadu, including the city of Chennai. A 12-acre garbage dump at Otteri in North Chennai has been transformed into a green lung of indigenous vegetation. In 2005, the Pitchandikulam team began work on a master plan for a 350-acre wetland site at the Adyar estuary. Over the following years, the typical urban wasteland of garbage and sewage has changed into an example of species regeneration, practical environmental education and citizen-government collaboration. The Adyar Poonga wetland restoration project is still very much underway, yet evolving into a crucial larger initiative to cleanse and transform the other polluted waterways of Chennai.

Girish Sant

Girish Sant is co-founder of Prayas, a non-profit organization based in Pune, whose Energy Group initiatives he coordinates. He has been involved in research, training, and advocacy on policy issues in the power sector for the last seventeen years. His interest in energy policy started with his involvement in the Sardar Sarovar Project and on nuclear power. His present work relates to issues of renewable energy policy, oil and gas policy as well as the international context of energy-climate linkages. He has a keen interest in realizing the massive potential of energy efficiency and pro-people energy policy, by promoting innovative policy options.

Girish Sant is a member of the Planning Commission’s Expert Group on ‘Low Carbon Growth’, and has also served on ‘Working Group on Power’ for the 11th Plan, PMO committee on the draft National Energy Efficiency Mission, Advisory Committee of Central Electricity Regulatory Commissions, and Supreme Court Committee on Energy from Municipal Solid Waste. In 2008, he received the Distinguished Energy Alumnus Award of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay.

Prayas Energy Group does analysis-based advocacy to further public interest in the electricity sector. Prayas has played a significant role in advancing transparency and accountability among electricity regulatory commissions and continues to intervene in regulatory cases in the state of Maharashtra, appellate tribunal and in the Supreme Court. Prayas, along with the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington, coordinates the Electricity Governance Initiative, which is a global coalition of civil society groups committed to improving governance in the power sector.

Girish Sant has accepted the award as part of Prayas (Energy Group), to underscore the collective nature of Prayas’ work.

Recipients of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2009

Ashish Kothari

Ashish Kothari is an environmentalist who works at the grass roots level with various people's movements as well as with various government committees and international associations.

He is a founding member of Kalpavriksh, an Indian environmental NGO active on conservation and livelihood issues since 1979. The T. N. Khoshoo Memorial Award in Conservation recognises not only Ashish's outstanding contributions to conservation, but also those of Kalpavriksh.

Ashish's interest in environmental and developmental issues related to big dam projects motivated him to participate in people's movements such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan and at the same time be a member of the Environmental Appraisal Committee on River Valley Projects, Government of India, from 1993 to 1995. He has contributed to environmental policy formulation and governance by being member of various influential government committees

He has advocated a socially and culturally more sensitive process of wildlife conservation for the last twenty years. He has been able to direct this interest to serving as the Co-Chair of the IUCN Inter-Commission Theme on Indigenous/Local Communities, Equity, and Protected Areas (TILCEPA) and other such similar groups.

Over and above his role as Coordinator, Project on Community Based Conservation in South Asia, Kalpavriksh, and International Institute of Environment and Development, London, Ashish has associated with other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Greenpeace, Centre for Communication and Development Studies and Bombay Natural History Society, in various capacities.

Ashish is also a prolific writer, having authored or edited 25 books, and over 150 articles, on environment, development, and conservation issues.

Charudutt Mishra

Charudutt Mishra is a conservation scientist who has tried to understand and work on various areas related to the usage of natural resources, the human impacts of natural resource use, and human-wildlife conflicts. He is the Science and Conservation Director of the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), and one of the founders of the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF). He served as NCF's Executive Director between 2002 and 2008, and also headed the India Program of the SLT. He serves on the editorial board of the journal Animal Conservation and is a member of the IUCN's Cat Specialist Group.

He has a Ph.D. in Ecology and Natural Resource Conservation from the Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University (The Netherlands). Charu's chief academic interests lie in understanding pastoralism and resource use, human impacts on wildlife, ecology of human-wildlife conflicts, large herbivore community ecology, and carnivore ecology.

Charu also tries to dedicate time and effort to extend conservation science for societal welfare, on-ground conservation, and policy. His recent work involves setting up community-based wildlife conservation and conflict-resolution programs, conducting research and exploration, teaching and guiding Ph.D. students, and working with governments to set up wildlife reserves and formulate conservation policy.

His current work spans the Himalaya and several Central Asian countries where he is involved in guiding research and conservation efforts. He was involved in post-conflict wildlife assessments in Afghanistan on behalf of the United Nations. Expeditions led by him in Arunachal Pradesh led to the discovery of the Arunachal macaque, M. munzala, a primate new to science.

Charu is a recipient of the Whitley Gold Award in 2005 and the Golden Ark Award in 2008.

Recipient of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2008

Rebecca Pradhan

A repository of knowledge on the flora and fauna found throughout the Himalayas, Rebecca Pradhan, can easily recount the genus and species of over 90% of Bhutan's plant life off the top of her head. Rebecca is a true naturalist, working and writing about birds as easily as about plants. While her academic qualifications include a B.Sc and a post graduation in Library Science, whatever she has learnt about plants and animals has been through a process of self-education. Impressed by her knowledge, Rebecca was invited to spend two terms as a Mercer Fellow of Arnold Arboretum in Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. With her vast botanical knowledge, innate skill and passion, Rebecca has already impacted conservation efforts in Bhutan.

Originally from Kalimpong in India, Rebecca, has been living and working in Bhutan for many years. Starting her career as a school teacher in 1972, Rebecca moved on as the Head of the Herbarium and Forestry Research Library, Department of Forestry, Royal Government of Bhutan in 1985. Since 2000 she has worked as an Ecologist with the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), Bhutan, where she is at present involved with the White-bellied Heron Project and in conducting biodiversity surveys of RSPN conservation areas. Over the years, Rebecca, has also been closely involved in a number of surveys to study and document the flora and fauna of Bhutan.

Rebecca has written extensively about the extraordinary biological richness of the north-eastern Himalayas, and particularly Bhutan, a region of which our knowledge is very meagre. She is the author of the books 'Wild Rhododendrons of Bhutan' and 'Threatened Birds in Bhutan'. She is also the principal compiler and data contributor of the Important Bird Areas of Bhutan for the Birdlife Conservation Series 'Important Bird Areas in Asia.' She has also produced a DVD on the ecology of the white-bellied heron. Rebecca has done much more than her written papers would indicate; for example she has discovered new species of bamboos, oaks and other plant groups. In her work she is involved with wildlife officials, community members and non-governmental organisations, and also teaches school children about wildlife in her spare time.

Rebecca's immense knowledge of the biota and ecosystems of the eastern Himalayas is vital to the future of Bhutan's resources. And she herself is committed to advancing further the knowledge about and the conservation of the pristine forests of Bhutan.

Recipient of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2007

Dr. B.R. Ramesh

A scientist and conservationist, Dr. B.R. Ramesh has contributed greatly to the application of new technologies for effective conservation. He completed his M.Sc. Botany at Bangalore University before doing a Ph.D. in Ecology at University of Madras. A taxonomist by training he has been working at the French Institute of Pondicherry (an autonomous Research Organization under the Ministry of French Foreign Affairs) since 1982. He is currently the Director of Research in the Ecology Department. His research interests include phytogeography, landscape ecology, community ecology, conservation biology, and forest management. He continues to actively train the younger generation and forest officials in field ecology and taxonomy.

Most of his work has been carried out in the Western Ghats, which is considered a biodiversity hotspot. He has published over 25 research papers, 6 books, 2 CD ROMS, 7 vegetation maps and 1 atlas. His vegetation maps of the Western Ghats and Atlas of Endemic tree species have become classic baseline reference materials for foresters, ecologists and conservationists. He has studied the plant diversity across different ecosystems to develop biological indicator values for measuring disturbance in ecosystems. Using Geographical Information Systems he has developed wildlife management models for a Tiger Reserve and for several Wildlife Sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. His studies have shown that despite large-scale disturbance, considerable amount of undisturbed forest areas exist in Kerala and these forest patches need management attention. As an expert consultant to Kerala Forest Department, he reviewed biodiversity components of Kerala Forestry Project, developed 'biodiversity conservation strategy and action plans' for the forestry sector as well as rationalized the existing protected area network in order to cover the substantial gaps in conservation. Going one step further, he developed an alternative model of integrated forest management using a landscape approach that would address not only biodiversity conservation but also socio-economic issues of local communities and other stakeholders.

[Dr. B. R. Ramesh continues as the Director of Research, Department of Ecology at the French Institute of Pondicherry. The book Forest landscapes of the Southern Western Ghats, India: Biodiversity, human ecology and management strategies edited by him along with Rajan Gurukkal was released in 2007.]

Recipient of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2006

Dr. Anupam Mishra

A Gandhian and an environmental activist Anupam Mishra has spent decades in the field of environment protection and water conservation and is among the most knowledgeable persons in India on traditional water harvesting systems. He has travelled to various part of the country, especially Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, visiting various water harvesting systems managed by people.

Dr. Mishra has interacted with grassroots-level water harvesters, inspired and supported them and helped them in their traditional water harvesting systems campaign. Winner of the Indira Gandhi National Environment Award, Mishra has been associated with the Gandhi Peace Foundation since its inception. He has authored two books on traditional water management and water harvesting systems in India, titled Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab (Ponds are Still Relevant) and Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boonde (The Radiant Raindrops of Rajasthan).

Dr. Mishra continues to travel to different parts of the country, while keeping in touch with grassroot-level water harvesters and NGOs and inspiring them. The mission of the Gandhi Peace Foundation is to promote the environmental activities of rural development agencies; to prepare survey reports on distressed areas and place them before concerned authorities; to disseminate environmental information through the publication of up-to-date reports on environmental issues; to organise workshops and seminars for environmental experts, policy makers, individuals and organizations engaged in environmental issues.

[Dr. Anupam Mishra continues his association with the Gandhi Peace Foundation working in the field of environment protection and water conservation.]

Recipients of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2005

Ms Nafisa Barot

Ms. Nafisa Barot has been championing the efforts of local communities to achieve self-reliance in natural resources in the Bhal region of Gujarat. She is the founder trustee of Utthan, an organization dedicated to the upliftment and empowerment of impoverished local communities, especially women. Nafisaben as she is popularly known, has been involved in a number of water management activities in the region such as drought proofing, rain-water harvesting and desilting. Other activities carried out by Utthan in Gujarat include women's credit groups, community health programs, afforestation and education. Ms. Barot represents Utthan on several national and international committees. She is a strong believer in the empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society through socio-economic and cultural development based on the principles of sustainable resource use and conservation.

[Ms. Nafisa Barot continues her work on social and environmental issues. She also continues as Executive Director of Utthan an organisation she co-founded that works in the areas of gender empowerment, integrated natural resource management, and peace and justice through conflict transformation.]

Dr. Anil P. Joshi

Dr. Anil P. Joshi works to promote sustainable livelihoods in the Himalaya. He started his career as a college teacher in Botany and encouraged many of his students to carry out academic research oriented towards solving the basic needs of the hill people. He has been instrumental in developing participatory approaches to natural resource conservation and is credited with developing a variety of ingenious schemes related to water supply, cheap lighting, traditional agriculture, employment generation, earthquake resistant housing and alternative uses of weeds such as lantana. Dr. Joshi and his colleagues formed the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), which aims to reconcile basic needs of rural communities with the need to conserve natural resources. Dr. Joshi is the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his pioneering contributions towards sustainable living in the Himalayan region.

[Dr. Anil P. Joshi continues his work with the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization that he co-founded. He was awarded the 'Padma Shri' in 2006 in recognition of his pioneering contribution towards sustainable living in the Himalayan region.]

Recipient of the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award, 2004

Dr. R. Sukumar

Dr. R Sukumar is a Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. He is one of the world leaders in the efforts to conserve the elephants especially the Asian elephant.

Since 1997, he has been the Chair of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group of IUCN-The World Conservation Union. He has published three books and over 70 scientific articles. He is the winner of the Presidential Award of the Chicago Zoological Society in 1989 and was honoured with the Order of the Golden Ark, by the Government of Netherlands in 1997 for his outstanding contribution to Elephant conservation. His approach has been in using the elephant as a flagship for conserving landscapes, their biodiversity, and reconciling human interests with conservation. Most recently he was the recipient of the Whitley Gold Award for International Nature Conservation (2003).

[Dr. R. Sukumar continues as Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science. At present research in his lab spans the areas of wildlife ecology, tropical forest ecology and climate change. He is a recipient of the International Cosmos Prize in 2006.]

• Ganesan Balachander (Chairman), Former Representative, Ford Foundation, gbalachander12@gmail.com
• Prof. Kamal Bawa (Chairman), Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts-Boston, kamal.bawa@umb.edu
• Dr. Gladwin Joseph, Director ATREE gladwin@atree.org
• Ms. Seema Paul, Program Director for India Energy Initiative, The Climate Works Foundation
• Rajiv Khoshooraj.khoshoo@siemens.com