WTI trustees at the Annual Awards function

WTI Annual Awards

Every year, WTI gives out Annual Awards to honor the best performers among its staff members and projects. The awards not only acknowledge the efforts put in by the award-winners, but also add a friendly competitive edge to the work environment. The awards also motivate each team member to give their best towards the organisation's mission 'to conserve nature, especially endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments'.

On March 23, 2009, awards were given for the year 2007-08. The three categories were best performer, best new performer and best conservation achievements:

Best Performer: John Kunju Kunju, Assistant Programme Officer, Communications
Best New Performer: Hemanta Das, Animal Keeper, Wild Rescue
Best Conservation Achievement: Saurabh Sharma, Consultant Wildlife Lawyer, Policy, Enforcement, Law & Training (for conviction of notorious wildlife trader, Ratiram Sharma)
Best Conservation Achievement: Sunil Subba, Manager, Wild Lands (for establishment of Village Reserve Forests in Meghalaya)

About the award winners

John (right) receives the award from Dr Raman Sukumar, Trustee, WTI

About John Kunju Kunju: John belongs to Kerala, and in the 6 years of his working in WTI he has grown to be one of the steadiest backroom pillars of the organisation. He joined WTI temporarily as a secretary in October 2003, while he was processing the formalities for his return to the Middle East, where he had earlier worked for several years. However, a budding love for animals (that he claims he acquired in his short stint with WTI), encouraged him to give up his Middle East plans and instead he continued to work in WTI. He has grown rapidly within the organisation and is unofficially designated by his colleagues as one of WTI's 'most valuable persons'!  John also, perhaps, has the distinction of spending the maximum number of hours at work at WTI's headquarters. He currently almost single-handedly looks after designing and printing of WTI's publications and communications and conservation awareness collaterals.

Hemanta (left) receives the award from Dr MK Ranjitsinh, Chairman, WTI

About Hemanta Das: Before joining WTI, Hemanta worked as a wood-cutter in Panbari, Assam. Around 2005, he was hired on a daily basis, as many others were, by the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), to collect food for the resident wild elephant calves. His dedication and sincerity towards the humblest  tasks given to him, got him noticed by his superiors at CWRC. He was soon offered a temporary job to walk elephant calves in the wild as part of IFAW-WTI's Elephant Reintegration Project. His agility and ability to climb any kind of trees was an additional useful skill he has. He joined the staff of WTI in February 2007, when he volunteered to move to Doimari, Manas, along with the elephant calves being relocated for their reintegration into the wild. In this short time Hemanta has learnt on the job and is at ease handling complex scientific equipment and can now help track the radio-collared elephant calves. Everyone who has had the opportunity to interact with Hemanta is all praise for him as a person, his dedication to his work and his natural skills.

Saurabh (left) receives the award from Ashok Kumar, Vice-chairman, WTI

About Saurabh Sharma: A wildlife lawyer by profession, Saurabh Sharma is a consultant at WTI. He was awarded the best conservation achievement for a successful conviction of wildlife trader Ratiram Sharma (notoriously known as rhino man or Sansar Chand of northeast India for his involvement in numerous rhino horn trading cases). As a state appointed prosecutor, Saurabh led the final arguments on behalf of the West Bengal Forest Department. This case lasted less than four months, marking a breakthrough in the country's wildlife crime legal scenario, by being the shortest ever in India's history. Saurabh went on to better his record when he assisted with the recent conviction of two Czech scientists accused of insect trade in Darjeeling, West Bengal. The case lasted about two and half months since the time of arrest of the accused and their conviction.

Dr Sandeep Kumar Tiwari (left), Manager, Wild Lands, receives the award on behalf of Sunil, from Prof PC Bhattacharjee, Trustee, WTI

About Sunil Subba: Sunil is among the most successful wildlife conservationists to have served for WTI. His unconventional methods of work has earned him respect not only among his peers, but also from local communities in various northeastern states where he mostly works. His ability to understand local sentiments and develop effective conservation strategies without violating local culture and traditions, makes him an epitome of WTI's mission. Sunil, along with his team, was awarded the best conservation achievement award for securement of tribal land that serve as habitat for the endangered Hoolock gibbon and Asian elephants in Meghalaya. The project attempts to secure wild habitats between West Garo Hills and Nokrek National Park. Sunil's team convinced local tribes of Selbalgre and Mandalgre to set aside their A'khing land for conservation; in exchange, he provided them support to strengthen their livelihoods, develop education and in general, to enhance their lifestyle.

Photos: WTI