Balipara Foundation Awards presented

As reported in local English daily 'The Assam Tribune' : Achintya Kumar Sinha (L) receiving the award. – UB Photos

STAFF Reporter GUWAHATI, Nov 7 - Balipara Foundation Awards were formally presented at a function at the Pragjyoti-ITA auditorium by the Balipara Foundation to honour the green heroes for the year 2105. Focused on the Eastern Himalayas, the awards is a salute to those individuals, communities and organisations which have made efforts towards positive changes in the environment. During the awards, the third Rabindranath Barthakur Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr Gunter Pauli, author of the Blue Economy who is also known as the ‘Steve Jobs of Sustainability.’ The award winners included – Young Naturalist Award – Thingnam Girija, Green Guru Award – Nimesh Ved, Annual Award – jointly to Achintya Kumar Sinha and Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Network (BIOCONE), Naturenomics Award – jointly to Rupjyoti Saikia Gogoi and Richard Belho, Eastern Himalaya Conservation Award – Khanchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC), Nature Conservancy Award – Panchan Lakhar Community Conserved Area Management Committee – (PLACCAMC), Forest Guard Awards – Sontush A Sangma, Amar Sing Deka, Rajen Panika, Pema Thinley, Namita Kalita and Dharmistha Medhi Das, Food for Future Award – Dr KM Bujabaruah, Lifetime Service Award – BM Khaitan, and Green Legal Award – Ritwick Dutta. The award ceremony also had the participation of organisations like WWF, IUCN, WTI, the Elephant Family, Nature Conservancy, Sanctuary Asia, Wildlife Protection Society of India, Club of Rome and Tata Trust, etc. Nicholas Claxton, CEO of WoW Media, was the host for ceremonies. Ranjit Barthakur, founder trustee of Balipara Foundation gave the vote of thanks. This awards ceremony also saw the representation of Bhutan among the award winners.