Guwahati, Oct 11: In a major global recognition for India’s conservation efforts, Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, has become the first Indian to receive the prestigious IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Kenton Miller Award for Innovation in National Parks and Protected Area Sustainability.

The award was presented during the IUCN World Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi, recognising outstanding innovation and leadership in the management of protected and conserved areas.

The Kenton R. Miller Award honours individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing protected area management, education, or research. It is open to managers of marine and terrestrial protected areas under various governance systems — including those managed by government agencies, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and the private sector.

Honourees receive a USD 5,000 grant, international recognition among conservation peers, and an official citation highlighting their contributions.

This year, the award was conferred upon two individuals at a gala event attended by over 3,000 delegates. The ceremony was graced by the Miller family, Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Director General of IUCN, Dr. Madhu Rao, Chair of IUCN WCPA, and Dr. Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Dr. Ghosh was recognised for her innovative approach to protected area governance, which critically acknowledges the colonial roots of conservation models while affirming the vital rights and roles of Indigenous communities.

“Through her leadership, she has championed a model of conservation rooted in community engagement, awareness-building, and the seamless integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific expertise — an ethos that has been especially impactful in the highly biodiverse landscapes of Manas and Kaziranga,” the citation reads.

The co-recipient of this year’s Kenton Miller Award, Roque Simón Sevilla Larrea of Ecuador, is an economist, environmentalist, and businessman known for advancing sustainability across multiple sectors including tourism, insurance, agriculture, and clean energy. He is also the founder and president of Grupo Futuro, a holding company established in 1973.

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