Kaziranga Field Director Becomes First Indian To Win Global IUCN Kenton Miller Award

India’s conservation efforts have earned global acclaim as Dr Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, became the first Indian to receive the WCPA–Kenton Miller Award for innovation in the management of national parks and protected areas. The announcement was made at the IUCN World Conservation Congress held in Abu Dhabi on Friday (Oct 10).

Global Recognition For Indian Conservation Leadership

The Kenton Miller Award, instituted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), recognises individuals who demonstrate exceptional innovation and leadership in sustaining and managing protected ecosystems. Named in honour of Dr Kenton R. Miller, a noted conservationist and former IUCN Director-General, the award is presented once every four years at the World Conservation Congress.

Dr Ghosh’s win marks a historic moment for India’s environmental community. Her selection underscores India’s growing leadership in biodiversity protection, particularly in the northeastern landscape where conservation, livelihoods, and climate resilience intersect. The recognition also shines a global spotlight on India’s evolving model of community-based and science-driven conservation.

The 2023 recipient of the award was Maria del Carmen Garcia Rivas from Mexico, honoured for her pioneering work in advancing marine protected areas through community-led governance and scientific monitoring.

A Career Devoted To Ecological Stewardship

As the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros, Dr Sonali Ghosh has been instrumental in strengthening park management and integrating people-centric conservation practices. Her initiatives have combined scientific habitat monitoring, anti-poaching technologies, and local community participation, ensuring long-term sustainability for both wildlife and human settlements around the park.

Under her leadership, Kaziranga has expanded its conservation focus beyond rhino protection to include landscape-level ecosystem management. This includes improving corridor connectivity, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and promoting eco-tourism models that generate livelihood opportunities while reducing environmental pressure.

Dr Ghosh has also contributed to the management of other protected areas across Assam, including Manas and Orang National Parks, both of which play crucial roles in India’s tiger and elephant conservation networks. Her multi-faceted approach—combining research, policy, and field execution—has been widely recognised as a template for sustainable park administration in developing countries.

India’s Commitment To Global Conservation

India’s presence at the IUCN Congress was marked by the participation of Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, who reiterated India’s commitment to international environmental cooperation. He held discussions with Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director-General of IUCN, and other global leaders on advancing conservation-led development and green growth.

“The award to Dr Ghosh symbolises how field-level innovation in India is contributing to global sustainability goals,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Environment. “It validates the efforts of hundreds of forest officers, scientists, and communities working together to protect our natural heritage.”

The IUCN, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, is the world’s largest and oldest global environmental network, bringing together governments, research institutions, NGOs, and experts from over 160 countries. The World Conservation Congress, held every four years, sets the agenda for biodiversity preservation and sustainable ecosystem management worldwide.

A Milestone For Kaziranga And Beyond

Dr Ghosh’s achievement adds to the long list of recognitions for Kaziranga National Park, which has become a model of conservation success in India. Spread across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, the park is known not only for its rhinos while also for its diverse population of tigers, elephants, swamp deer, and migratory birds.

Over the past decade, Kaziranga’s management model has inspired similar strategies across India’s protected area network, from the Sundarbans to Periyar, integrating conservation with tourism and community welfare.

Experts believe that the recognition will encourage more investment and collaboration in protected area management across the country. “This award is a tribute to India’s forest officers and conservation scientists who work under challenging conditions to safeguard our biodiversity,” said an environmental researcher.

(With inputs from ANI)