Kaziranga Director Sonali Ghosh Awarded IUCN’s Kenton Miller Award

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has long been a symbol of India’s conservation success. Now, it has brought global recognition to the country once again, thanks to its director, Dr Sonali Ghosh. She has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Kenton R. Miller Award for Innovation in National Parks and Protected Area Sustainability, a global honour presented by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Dr Ghosh received the award alongside Ecuador’s Roque Simón Sevilla Larrea during a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi on October 10. The recognition marks a milestone not only in her personal journey but also for India’s growing leadership in conservation and sustainable park management.

What is a Kenton R. Miller Award?

The Kenton R. Miller Award is one of the most prestigious international recognitions in the field of environmental conservation. It celebrates individuals or teams who have introduced innovative practices in the management and sustainability of national parks and protected areas. Established in 2006, the award is named after Dr Kenton R. Miller, a respected global conservationist and former Director General of the IUCN. It is presented every two years to professionals whose work in areas such as management, governance, monitoring, community engagement, or policy innovation has made a significant impact.

For the first time, this global recognition has come to India, highlighting the country’s efforts to balance biodiversity conservation with community development. According to the IUCN, Dr Ghosh was honoured for promoting a model of conservation “rooted in community engagement, awareness-building, and the integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern science.”

Who is Dr Sonali Ghosh?

Born in Pune in 1975, Dr Sonali Ghosh grew up in a Bengali family that frequently moved across India due to her father’s service in the Indian Army. Her early years were filled with exposure to diverse landscapes, forests, and rivers, which shaped her connection to nature.

Her journey took a decisive turn when she joined the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun. There, her growing curiosity transformed into a lifelong commitment to environmental protection.

When she joined the Indian Forest Service (IFS), Dr Ghosh was posted to some of India’s most ecologically sensitive landscapes – including Kaziranga, Manas, and Orang. These regions, rich in biodiversity but vulnerable to threats like poaching, floods, and human pressure, became the testing grounds for her resilience and leadership. Her first-hand experiences helped her develop a deep respect for frontline forest staff and their challenges.

In September 2023, Dr Ghosh became the first woman Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, a role that shattered a long-standing gender barrier in India’s forestry sector.

Kaziranga is no ordinary national park. Spread across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, it is home to the world’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Managing this landscape involves constant vigilance – from combating poaching to dealing with devastating monsoon floods.

Leading with Empathy and Science

Over the years, Dr Ghosh has reshaped how Kaziranga is managed. Her approach blends strict protection measures with community participation and scientific innovation. She believes that conservation can only succeed when local people are made partners in the process.

Under her leadership, Kaziranga has seen major improvements in several areas:

• Enhanced protection for rhinos, tigers, and elephants through better monitoring and rapid-response systems.
  
• Community-driven programs that help local families build eco-friendly livelihoods, reducing dependence on forest resources.
  
• Improved welfare for forest guards, including better working conditions and safety measures.
  
• Sustainable tourism practices that balance visitor experiences with ecological preservation.

The Global Impact of Her Work The IUCN noted that Dr Ghosh’s work in Assam’s Manas and Kaziranga landscapes stood out for combining local knowledge with scientific expertise. Her model of “inclusive conservation” offers a path forward for other countries struggling to protect biodiversity while supporting human needs. The Kenton Miller Award’s past recipients have come from across the world – from Indonesia’s bird conservation groups to Lebanon’s ecosystem restoration projects. Dr Ghosh now joins this global community of innovators, symbolising India’s growing influence in conservation leadership.