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Organizations, government departments, non-governmental organizations and institutions across India are announcing and awarding honours for efforts towards environmental sustainability. At the 13th edition of the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year awards, Arun Krishnamurthy and Saalumarada Thimmakka won the Climate Warrior award. These awards recognise exceptional contributions of remarkable individuals across seven categories – Business, Entertainment, Sports, Youth Icon, Rising Sports Star, Social Change, and Climate Warriors. Arun Krishnamurthy is the founder of the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), which works in the field of wildlife conservation and habitat restoration. He founded EFI in 2007 and initiated a campaign to clean lakes and revive dying water bodies in India. Through his initiative, which is currently supported by 47 CSR partners, he has restored 460 waterbodies across 18 states.

Saalumarada Thimmakka is a 112-year-old climate warrior from Karnataka’s Tumkur district and is known as the ‘Mother of Trees’ for planting 8,000 trees. She is best known for planting 385 banyan trees along a 45-kilometre stretch of the highway between Hulikal and Kudur in Karnataka. This not only transformed the barren stretch of road into a lush green corridor but also helped improve the air quality. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019 for her contributions to environmental conservation.

Elsewhere, Indore and Surat were adjudged the cleanest cities in the country while Navi Mumbai retained the third position in the central government’s annual cleanliness survey, the results of which were announced recently. In the best-performing states category in Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023, Maharashtra bagged the top spot, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The India Green Awards were held on 11 January 2024. One of the most prominent Environment Awards in India, the event served as a platform to honour outstanding contributions to environmental conservation and sustainability practices in India.

The India Green Awards is a leading event organizing platform for Environmental development, sustainability, leadership, and innovation. It encourages and recognizes the use of sustainable technologies, products, and practices by businesses and individuals to promote environmental stewardship. The India Green Awards platform is open to all government agencies, private sector companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational institutions, civil society organizations, research institutions as well as individual innovators from around the world. The platform seeks to acknowledge, celebrate, and share remarkable efforts, inspiring others to join the movement towards a more eco-conscious and sustainable world.

Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo from University of Delhi, also known as the founder of Cherry Blossom Festivals in India has been conferred the ‘Top Sustainability Laureate Award 2023’ for his outstanding contributions in the field of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, according to a story by the Sangai Express. The former Director of Manipur based Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Government of India has been championing the cause of biodiversity conservation and bioresources management at the grassroots both in the Himalayan region as well in the coastal states of India, as quoted from a press release. Mr Sahoo who was the Founder Director of Centre for Himalayan Studies, started a Cherry Blossom movement in the Northeast Himalayas which led to successful Cherry Blossom Festivals and inspired the people to protect the fragile ecosystems. His sustained efforts led to planting of nearly 60,000 cherry Blossom trees alone across Northeastern states. Recently a new cherry blossom plant species ‘Prunus dinabandhuana’ has been named after him. Mr Sahoo received the award at the India Green Awards for Environment and Sustainability Excellence.

Elsewhere, The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) proposes to present green champion awards to have made exemplary contributions to environment conservation and protection in any such sphere of relevant activities, including environmental education, training, environmental awareness, protection, sustainable development, solid waste management, water conservation and water bodies protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, emission reduction, control and recycling of plastic waste, eco-restoration, conservation measures, coaster area protection, research and scientific studies for a new innovative green products/ green technology and other eco-related projects. These are just a few – one hopes there will be many such awards that honour and promote the green cause in India.