The WTI (Wildlife Trust of India) Van Rakshak Award is one of two WTI awards that were instituted in the year 2000. This award is to commemorate the selfless work of the man in the field: the forest guards, foresters and range officers who protect Indian wildlife. The award carries a cash component, a certificate and a statuette.
2000
Harak Singh
Harak Singh was a forest guard with a difference. Even without any formal training in ornithology, he became an adept bird-watcher and by the time of his retirement, he was legendary among his fellow forest guards and tourists alike for his knowledge of the local avifauna. He also served as an inspiration for other guards who started watching birds and other smaller facets of nature instead of only concentrating on the tiger, which is undoubtedly the showpiece of Corbett National Park.
2001
Late Mr Narayan Sarmah
Forest range officer Narayan Sarmah is a legend in Assam. He is credited with having single-handedly built the Dibru-Saikhova Wildlife Sanctuary and converted poachers into dedicated believers to the cause of wildlife conservation. He was among those few brave forest officers who fearlessly tackled armed poachers and became an inspiration to his fellow workers. His greatest strength lay in his ability to work with people, whether NGOs or government agencies. Narayan Sarmah was killed by a wild elephant on 2 November, 1998 in Naloni Reserve Forest. His legacy lives on, inspiring forest officers to dedicate themselves to wildlife conservation.
2002
Arun Kumar Mallik
Arun Kumar Mallick, a Range Forest Officer at Sunderban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, has assisted in the detection of several wildlife crimes, leading to the arrest of many persons. His covert surveillance has unearthed several inter-state rackets involving the smuggling of animal parts from neighbouring states. His exemplary work to curb illegal trade of animal parts has been a boost to the conservation of tigers and other fauna in this region.
2003
M. Kalan
A tribal forest watcher in Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, M. Kalan has been instrumental in the arrest of a number of elephant poachers in the Mudumalai Range of the sanctuary in the past three years. In all cases, arms and ammunition were recovered from the miscreants. His courage, dedication and hawk-eyed vigilance, going beyond the call of duty, have contributed greatly to reducing the incidence of elephant poaching in the sanctuary.
2004
Chintamani Dhyani
Chintamani Dhyani, Range Forest Officer of Chilla, played a decisive role in tackling a long standing problem of Rajaji National Park : Gujjars. He has been able to rejuvenate the Chilla range, despite strong pressures by amicably persuading the resident Gujjar population to shift out of the park to a designated rehabilitation site. It is due to Mr. Dhyani's efforts that the Rajaji National Park has got a new lease of life. His effort goes beyond the call of duty.
Ranga Nath Pandey
As Range Forest Officer (Relocation), Ranga Nath Pandey's contribution to the Gujjar relocation process in the Rajaji National Park goes beyond the call of duty. He made special efforts to ensure that those relocated could settle down comfortably in the land allotted to them. He ensured that a school located in the vicinity became functional and that it had requisite study material. He ensured that a veterinary doctor was there to help out when he was needed the most. Over the years Mr. Pandey has become more a friend to the Gujjars than an adversary. His work has made the Rajaji National Park a safe haven for wildlife.
2005
Mohammed Safiur Rahaman
Mohd Safiur Rahaman, one of the most successful guards of the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, has been at the post of gardener for decades, because he could not study beyond Standard IV. Even so, Mohd. Rahaman chose to serve in the remotest areas of the sanctuary and soon acquired the reputation of being the poachers' nemesis.When he joined service, the rhino population had reached the lowest ever number of 14 in 1985. During the last five years, he has been responsible for 20% of the total cases detected. Adept at field craft, he used his knowledge of the forest and its terrain to outwit poachers, despite facing death threats. It is not merely a coincidence that the population of rhinos in Jaldapara has steadily increased over the years that Rahaman has been in service.
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