Kaziranga Field Director Sonali Ghosh Becomes First Indian to Win IUCN’s Prestigious Kenton Miller Award
Sonali Ghosh the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has recently been bestowed the WPCA Kenton Miller Award for Innovation in National Parks and Protected Area Sustainability at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi She is the first Indian to receive this award Her award isn t just a badge of honor it s recognition of her unique approach merging modern ecological science with traditional wisdom and encouraging community-led stewardship in some of India s most sensitive biodiversity zones Bridging Tradition and Modern ConservationProtected area management in India has long followed colonial-era top-down models that often excluded local communities Ghosh challenges that legacy Under her leadership in Kaziranga and Manas conservation has been reimagined as a shared mission She has brought together indigenous knowledge-keepers forest-dependent communities and scientists to co-create sustainable solutions The idea is simple yet powerful local people are not outsiders but partners
