India Reaffirms Global Leadership in Elephant Conservation on World Elephant Day 2025; Gaj Gaurav Awards Conferred on Forest Frontline Heroes and Mahouts
Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh inaugurated the World Elephant Day 2025 celebrations in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu highlighting India's unwavering commitment to the conservation of the elephant.
India is pioneering a sustainable future for elephants
Addressing the gathering at World Elephant Day, Kirti Vardhan Singh said, “India is pioneering a sustainable future for elephants by combining cutting-edge technologies like AI, remote sensing, and geospatial mapping with traditional knowledge to protect their habitats.” He further underlined the need for community participation, and scientific approaches to reduce human-elephant conflict while ensuring the well-being of local communities.
“India’s commitment to elephant conservation is not merely a policy choice, but a reflection of our civilizational values and ecological responsibility,” stated Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Elephants hold a revered place in India’s culture
He highlighted that with 33 Elephant Reserves, 150 scientifically identified corridors, and nearly 60% of the world’s wild elephant population thriving within its borders, India has emerged as a global exemple of harmonious coexistence—where legal protections, scientific planning, and cultural reverence come together to safeguard the future of its National Heritage Animal. Elephants are accorded the status of National Heritage Animal and hold a revered place in India’s culture and traditions, he further added.
Tamil Nadu sustains a sizeable elephant population
Tamil Nadu, known for its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, sustains a sizeable elephant population and plays a critical role in mitigating conflicts between people and elephants. The Coimbatore event brought together foresters, policymakers, wildlife experts, civil society organisations, and conservationists to exchange knowledge and strategies that foster elephant conservation while addressing the challenges of human-elephant coexistence.
Gaj Gaurav Awards
As part of the national celebrations, the Union Minister of StateKirti Vardhan Singh conferred the Gaj Gaurav Awards to individuals for their exemplary contributions in elephant conservation and management:
1. Arunachal Pradesh – Shri Ganesh Tamang, Mahout; Shri Sumit Gogoi, Elephant Attendant
2. Madhya Pradesh – Shri Kesu Singh Walke, Assistant Mahout; Shri Sahadan Ram Lakada, Assistant Mahout
3. Tamil Nadu – Shri M. Murali, Anti-Poaching Watcher; Shri S. Karthikeyan, Forest Guard
4. Uttar Pradesh – Shri Irshad Ali, Mahout
Document Healthy Feet, Healthy Elephants released
A key highlight of the event was the release of the document “Healthy Feet, Healthy Elephants: A Guide to Foot Care in Captive Asian Elephants”, which provides insights and practical recommendations to improve foot health in captive elephants through better hygiene, preventive care, early diagnosis, and capacity building of caregivers.
12 Lakh Students Join Nationwide Awareness Campaign
A nationwide awareness campaign was also initiated, engaging approximately 12 lakh students from about 5,000 schools to spread awareness about elephant conservation and the importance of harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.
Workshop on Human-Elephant Conflict organised
A Workshop on Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) was organised, bringing together representatives from elephant range states to share field experiences, best practices, and innovations for conflict mitigation.
Senior officers from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Director General of Forest & Special Secretary, Dr. Sanjayan Kumar, Inspector General of Forests, Project Tiger & Elephant along with officers from MoEF&CC and senior officials from Tamil Nadu Forest Department, officers from Ministry of Railways and state forest departments were present during the event.