The chief guest for the Venu Menon National Animal Awards 2002 held at the India Habitat Centre on 19 February was Shri Krishna Kant, Former Vice President of India. Dr. Valentine Pazhetnov, renowned bear rehabilitation expert from Russia, delivered the second Venu Menon Memorial Lecture.
The jury comprised Sushma Seth, actress; Sathya Saran, Editor, Femina; Ruby Bhatia, VJ and actress; Claude Alvares, environment writer and journalist; Gitanjali Kashyap, fashion designer;
Dr Raman Sukumar, Professor of Ecology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and K. B. Menon, Trustee, VMAAF.
Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr S. Chinny Krishna
Dr S. Chinny Krishna is known for his tireless work for the welfare of stray animals. He has been involved with animal welfare since childhood and he was one of the founder members of the Blue Cross of India in Chennai. An engineer by profession, he manufactures and donates equipment to shelters. He has developed 'Compufrog', an interactive software programme which he distributes free of cost, as an alternative to the dissection of animals in schools.
Venu Menon Animal Allies Award
Lila Parulekar
Lila Parulekar, a citizen of Pune, has rescued, treated and sheltered hundreds of animals. Her home has been converted into an animal shelter where she houses and treats dogs, mules, donkeys, cats and birds. Her shelter has become a sanctuary for abandoned animals that have found more than a best friend in her.
Special Organisation Award
Compassionate Crusaders Trust, Kolkata
Compassionate Crusaders Trust runs an animal shelter in Kolkata and has been doing commendable work in the field of animal rescue and care. The shelter has become Asia's largest cat shelter with more than 100 cats and the capacity to house more than double the number. The trust has engaged in a successful campaign against illegal cattle trade in Bangladesh and animal sacrifices in temples. It also runs a clinic in Kolkata with X-ray facilities and a mobile clinic to treat sick animals in rural areas.
Jury's Special Award
Shirin R Modi
Shirin R. Modi, a social worker from Mumbai, is a life member of the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and has been instrumental in the construction of a hospital for animals. Since 1940 she has been working as an animal welfare worker, creating awareness among people and appealing to philanthropic institutions for financial help for sick animals.
B Prudui Raju
B. Prudui Raju, a railway porter at Erragudur Railway Station and an ex-serviceman, has been working with devotion for the cause of animals in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. He has been holding free animal health and vaccination camps and also distributing food to stray animals.
Jaiprakash A Patel
Jai Prakash A. Patil, Range Forest Officer, Dhule, Maharashtra, has been a dedicated forest officer, conserving and preserving the wildlife in forest areas he was posted in. In Chalisgaon Game Sanctuary, he fearlessly stopped all the illegal grazing and all encroachment in the forest areas. He has also effectively tackled poaching by local tribals and snake-charmer shows in these areas.
Venu Menon Young Achiever Award
Harsha J.
Harsha J., a college student living in Bangalore, has rescued over 600 animals in the past few years. He attends urgent calls to rescue snakes round-the-clock in his home state of Karnataka, even if it means missing college. He has been working voluntarily with People for Animals for over two years. He has gone down deep wells, walked on narrow parapets, climbed walls and very often risked his own life to rescue an injured animal.
David Shepherd Wildlife Award
Saleem Hamid
Saleem Hamid, an industrial photographer in Bangalore, is passionate about saving wildlife and giving sick and injured animals a second chance to live. He is a self-taught veterinarian practitioner and takes meticulous care of each animal that he handles. Despite his hectic schedule, he has set up a wildlife rehabilitation centre which he runs himself. He has specialized in working with confiscated reptiles and the management of traumatised and immuno-suppressed reptiles. In spite of being bitten twice by cobras, he continues in his wildlife rehabilitation efforts. His commendable work has made him a front runner in wildlife management and care in Bangalore.
WTI Van Rakshak Award
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.
WTI Endangered Species Award
Late Mr Dera Nathung
The Late Dera Nathung, former minister of education, Arunachal Pradesh, was a politician by profession but a wildlifer at heart. He took up the cause of conservation with the government institutions and departments in his home state of Arunachal Pradesh. He mobilised the general public on the importance of preserving wildlife. His efforts contributed to placing Arunachal on the world conservation map. More than anything, he will be remembered for his remarkable achievement of persuading his fellow tribesmen, the Nishis, to opt for fiberglass hornbill beaks instead of the original ones. His tragic death in an air crash was a great loss to
conservation. |
