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 in protecting ecosystems.This inclusive vision has already delivered results:Local participation in conservation has strengthened.Biodiversity in key zones has improved.The old “parks versus people” narrative is evolving into one of shared responsibility.Why This Award MattersThe WPCA–Kenton Miller Award is one of the world’s most prestigious honors for leadership in protected area management. Recognizing Ghosh highlights India’s growing influence in global conservation and marks a turning point.Her work signals a paradigm shift, from fortress-style protection to people-inclusive stewardship, and proves that effective conservation can coexist with social equity. Ghosh’s model stands as a blueprint for balancing ecological and human priorities.Challenges and the Road AheadThe journey, however, is not without hurdles.Balancing forest conservation with community livelihoods remains complex. Institutional resistance to change can slow innovation, and growing climate pressures pose new threats to fragile habitats.Yet, Ghosh’s approach opens exciting possibilities. Her community-driven model can be adapted across India’s parks and reserves, bridging traditional knowledge with modern science. With global recognition now spotlighting Assam, her work could attract stronger partnerships, funding, and international collaboration.Assam’s Global MomentSonali Ghosh’s achievement transcends borders. In a world where biodiversity is under siege, her success offers hope, proving that conservation can be inclusive, just, and deeply rooted in cultural and ecological wisdom.For Assam, it’s a moment of pride and purpose. It celebrates not just a leader but a mindset—one that believes the future of conservation lies in unity between people and the planet.
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