The chief guest for the Venu Menon National Animal Awards 2007 held at the India Habitat Centre on February 19, 2007 was former by Dr.(Smt) Nirmala Deshpande,Rajya Sabha member.
Mr. AJ Cady, Director, Animals in Crisis and Distress, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), USA delivered the seventh Venu Menon Memorial Lecture.

The jury comprised Amala Akkineni – Renowned film actress and social activist; Anandan Sivamani – Celebrated percussionist; Anita Nair – Noted Author; Lt. General (Retd) Ashoke Kumar Chatterjee, PVSM, VSM, ADC – Erstwhile Dty. Chief of the Indian Army and Former Chairman, Animal Welfare Board of India; Geeta Seshamani – Vice President, Friendicoes; PC Bhattacharjee – Professor, Guwahati University & Trustee, WTI; KB Menon – Chairman, Venu Menon Animal Allies Foundation.

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The following are this year's awardees:

Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award
Maruti B. Chitampalli:

Maruti B. Chitampalli retired as the Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra. Mr. Chitampalli has contributed to the conservation and welfare of wildlife far beyond the call of duty. He has dedicated his entire life to the preservation of Maharashtra’s forests. Instrumental in the development of Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Navegaon National Park, Nagzira Sanctuary and Melghat Tiger Project he also constructed orphanages for displaced wildlife at Navegaon National Park and Melghat Tiger Reserve. Wildlife protection is more a passion than a duty to him.

Venu Menon Animal Allies Award
Saurabh and Gaurav Gupta:

Saurabh and Gaurav Gupta, two young brothers in their early twenties have done outstanding work for the protection and welfare of wildlife. Their varied activities include rescuing animals from the illegal wildlife trade, motivating groups of volunteers to assist in conducting raids on wildlife offenders and attending to cruelty cases involving both wild and domestic animals. The two work for animals on a purely voluntary basis, one being a student and the other a shop keeper. They have also gained the support of the police and changed the face of animal activism.

IFAW Young Achiever's Award Award
Dev Gurera

Dev Gurera of studying in class IX of D.A.V. Public School and India Bishnoi studying in class VI of the Indian school were winners of IFAW-WTI Animal Action week drawing competition “Paint a Seal”. The theme of this Animal Action Week was “Making Waves for Seals”. There were 1500 paintings from 73 schools from 16 states across India.

India Bishnoi

India Bishnoi dances, learns how to play the piano and also plays basketball. She wants to grow up to be an entrepreneur as well as contribute to social causes. Dev Gurera plays badminton and wants to be a software engineer.

David Shepherd Wildlife Award
Dr. Yatish Kumar

Mr. D. Yatish Kumar is a Forest Officer by profession since 1995. He was instrumental in implementing the project for resettling 736 families living in 16 villages within the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. He won the confidence of the villagers, which was the key to success of this project and provided them with basic amenities such as drinking water, solar powered lamps and ensured that bridges and roads within the Reserve were maintained. Mr. Kumar has shown exemplary vision and leadership that has gone a long way in ensuring that Bhadra Tiger Reserve is now completely free of human habitation.

Special Organisation Award
Karuna Society for Animals & Nature, Andhra Pradesh

The Karuna Society for Animals and Nature, Andhra Pradesh has dedicated the last seven years working for animal welfare. They treat thousands of animals, both domestic and wild, a year. Some of the special projects they undertake are extensive Animal Birth Control schemes and anti-rabies vaccination programmes for stray dogs. They have also rescued over 500 cattle from illegal slaughter. The Karuna Society hospital is a state of the art facility with very high standards of hygiene, sterile conditions and a low death percentage in Animal Birth Control operations.

WTI Endangered Species Award
Late PP Raval

Mr. P.P. Raval’s work in the field of wildlife conservation went hand in hand with his work for human welfare. He devoted his entire life to the conservation of the Asiatic lion. Today he is no longer with us. However his efforts and contribution live on through the Asiatic Lion Protection Society working in Gir, Gujarat. He was one of the few people in India to have in-depth knowledge of the Asiatic lion. During the 1986-87 droughts, he ran a shelter for 600 tribal families and their cattle in the Barda Sanctuary to provide food and medical aid. It is solely due to his efforts that the Sakkar Baug Zoo is the only gene pool of Asiatic lion.

WTI Van Rakshak Award
Utpal Kumar Nag

Utpal Kumar Nag has been with the West Bengal Forest Division since 2000. He has played a key role in the arrest of the notorious illegal wildlife trader Rati Ram Sharma. He is also the winner of the State Wildlife Conservation Award in 2006 by the Govt. of West Bengal. It is due to his relentless efforts that Rati Ram Sharma was convicted in a record time of four months

IFAW Animal Welfare Politician of the Year
Kampa Borgoyari

Kampa Borgoyari, Deputy Chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council, is a leader with a difference. Elected as Executive Member of the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council of Assam in 2006 he is committed to the cause of conservation. Mr. Borgoyari used to be the Publicity Secretary of the Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force during the Bodoland agitation. During this period he witnessed the mindless destruction of forests in Bodoland. He was motivated to commit himself to preserve these very forests. He has contributed to making conservation history by supporting the translocation of a rhino, the first ever to Manas National Park for rehabilitation. He is also supporting the rehabilitation of orphaned elephant calves in Manas. Both these projects are pioneering ventures being undertaken for the first time in India.

Jury’s Special Award
Venkata B. Nagamma:

Venkata B. Nagamma, a cooli by profession, has been dedicated to the welfare of animals for the last ten years. Coming from the under privileged section of society has not deterred her in her voluntary crusade for helping animals in need. She has campaigned for the ban on animal sacrifice in over 250 temples for the last ten years. She has also planted 1500 trees and campaigned for the conservation of endangered bird species having done a certificate course in Ornithology. Venkata B. Nagamma has done it all, right from campaigning, hands on work in animal shelters to starting Karuna Clubs in 50 schools. She is an extraordinary example of dedication to the cause of animal welfare.

Vilasben S. Shah:

Vilasben S. Shah is 87 years old and has been taking care of animals all her life. She treats and takes care of sick and injured animals at her own home. Vilasben has been investing her on personal resources in order to help animals and also works to motivate other people to take care of animals in distress.