The sixth edition of the Machhli and Vanya Prani Mitra Awards, jointly presented by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation and WWF-India, was held in Jaipur, honouring individuals and teams whose exceptional efforts have strengthened wildlife conservation and human-wildlife conflict management across Rajasthan.
The prestigious Machhli Award was conferred upon the Udaipur Wildlife Rescue Team—Sitaram Meena, Ajit Singh Ranawat, Jitendra Singh, Dwaraka Prasad Sharma, and Ashok Narayan Joshi—for their remarkable contribution to rescuing and safely relocating wildlife. Other recipients included Saroj Kanwar, Forest Guard at Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, for her efforts in community engagement and conflict mitigation; Anita Kumari of Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary, who has rescued over 450 wild animals; and Ramlal Gurjar of Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary, whose vigilance has significantly reduced poaching and illegal forestry activities. The award carried a cash prize, shared equally among the winners, along with certificates of appreciation.
The Vanya Prani Mitra Award recognised outstanding contributions to managing human-wildlife conflict. Awardees included conservationist Darshan Kumar Menaria, whose community-led efforts transformed Menar into a globally recognised Bird Village; Anil Kumar Bishnoi, who has dedicated over 35 years to wildlife conservation and rescued more than 10,000 animals; and Peera Ram Dhayal, whose rapid-response
interventions have helped prevent retaliatory killings and conflict situations. The award too carried a cash price, shared equally among the three recipients.
The awardees were selected by a distinguished jury comprising Rahul Bhatnagar, IFS (Retd.), Rajpal Singh, IFS (Retd.), and Yash Shethia, Director, Wildlife & Habitat Programme, WWF-India.
Speaking on the occasion, Dipankar Ghosh, Senior Director, Biodiversity Conservation, WWF-India, highlighted the importance of recognising conservation champions who inspire future generations.
The evening commenced with a welcome address by Vinnie Kakkar, National Advisor of the Foundation while Apra Kuchha, Honorary Convenor of Rajasthan & Central India Affairs of Prabha Khaitan Foundation presented an overview of the Foundation’s work and initiatives.
This award ceremony was presented jointly with WWF-India and Forest Department of Government of Rajasthan and was supported by Ehsaas Woman of Jaipur
