Shawshank Redemption
Oft in the midst of noise and haste, one tends to forget that there is a battle going on, a quiet, stealthy battle waged against that which cannot speak in its own defence – Nature. Irreplaceable ecosystems are being lost, too many species are going extinct to keep a count, and others are at the brink of extinction… floods and droughts have become permanent ‘seasons’ across the globe. And in this face of aridity and hopelessness, we have Earth Heroes who give silent Nature a voice, while risking their lives everyday for us. That is what makes them out of the ordinary. They give us hope for a better tomorrow. For our children, and our children’s children… For this, we honour them.
Earth Heroes Awards for the year 2003
‘Billy’ Arjan Singh
A living legend, he is considered by some to be the 'godfather’ of the movement to save the Indian tiger. Born in Gorakhpur on August 15, 1917, Billy was always ahead of his time, recognising long ago that the tiger would never be safe, unless its forests were protected. This is why he chose to live in Dudhwa, in a corner of the world he christened ‘Tiger Haven’, from where he has been working to protect tigers for over four decades.
Bhupen Talukdar
Tough. Uncompromising. Effective. Words that sum up Bhupen Talukdar, defender of the rhino. While rhinos were being systematically wiped out in Manas in the 1990s by international poaching gangs in league with insurrectionists, Talukdar and key colleagues forged themselves into a wall of resistance in Kaziranga. They resurrected the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros here and will forever be remembered for warding off the extinction of this endangered pachyderm.
Girish Vashisht
A frontline defender of the tiger, Range Officer Vashisht is part of an effective team of forest guards, rangers and officers that have restored the bamboo jungles of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. Known for his tough, uncompromising ways, he was posted to Tadoba in 1997, where, apart from anti-poaching work, he dedicated himself to improving the soil and moisture conditions of the forest, using ancient strategies successfully employed for aeons in India.
Sarang Kulkarni
A self-taught scuba diver, Sarang Kulkarni would probably fit himself with gills if he could. He loves the sea and is one of India’s upcoming marine biologists, with an abiding interest in sharks. He is currently doing his Ph.D on coral reefs in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, in the Andamans and is employed by Reef Watch Marine Conservation.
T.Venkatesh
The bane of timber smugglers, Range Officer T. Venkatesh served in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka for nearly seven years. Soon after taking charge, he apprehended key leaders in the timber mafia and ushered in a methodical approach to record forest offences.
Abdul Rahman Mir
He understands wildlife behaviour and knows what needs to be done to protect forests and animals. He is also willing to risk his life to protect the forests he loves. He is the third generation of his family to have worked in the forests of Dachigam in the Kashmir valley.
Arvind Chalasani
Trekker, naturalist and conservationist, Arvind Chalasani is the quintessential Green Teacher. He considers it his life’s purpose to inject a respect for the earth in children. His love for the outdoors was nurtured during long nature walks in his native Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.