CM Fadnavis Honours Wildlife Heroes on Tiger Day in Nagpur
Synopsis
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over an award ceremony in Nagpur on International Tiger Day 2026, honouring Vishal Bansod, Gajanan Guldhey, and Vivanchana Dongre with the Asiatic Big Cat Society National Award and ₹51,000 each for their contributions to wildlife conservation.
Key Takeaways
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over the International Tiger Day 2026 ceremony in Nagpur on 29 July 2026 .
The Asiatic Big Cat Society Rashtriya Puraskar – 2026 was jointly awarded by the Maharashtra Forest Department (Wildlife) and the Asiatic Big Cat Society .
Three conservationists were honoured: Vishal Bansod , Gajanan Guldhey , and Vivanchana Dongre .
Each awardee received a cash cheque of ₹51,000 along with the national award.
Maharashtra has been part of India's Project Tiger framework since its launch in 1973 and hosts several major tiger reserves.
Three wildlife conservationists received national recognition in Nagpur on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over an award ceremony marking International Tiger Day — a moment that put Maharashtra's grassroots conservation effort squarely in the spotlight.
The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra announced that the Maharashtra Forest Department (Wildlife) and the Asiatic Big Cat Society jointly conferred the 'Asiatic Big Cat Society Rashtriya Puraskar – 2026' (Asiatic Big Cat Society National Award – 2026) on three individuals who have shown outstanding commitment to wildlife conservation. Each awardee received a cheque of ₹51,000 alongside the honour.
The Three Awardees and What They Represent
The recipients — Vishal Bansod, Gajanan Guldhey, and Vivanchana Dongre — were recognised for their notable contributions to wildlife conservation. Their work represents the field-level dedication that underpins Maharashtra's broader tiger protection effort, often carried out far from public attention in the forests and buffer zones of the state's tiger reserves.
Maharashtra's Place in India's Tiger Conservation Story
International Tiger Day, observed every year on 29 July, was established to raise global awareness about tiger conservation and the threats facing wild populations. Maharashtra is home to several of India's most significant tiger reserves and has been an active participant in national conservation frameworks since Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in 1973.
Indian states routinely mark the occasion with field-level recognition events — but the combination of a sitting Chief Minister presiding, a cash award of ₹51,000 per recipient, and a named national award signals that Maharashtra is treating this not as a ceremonial footnote but as a policy statement about who the state values in its conservation architecture.
The real force behind any tiger reserve is not just policy on paper — it is the Vishal Bansods and the Vivanchana Dongres who show up in the field every day. Maharashtra, at least today, made sure they know it.
Point of View
Maharashtra is deliberately elevating field-level conservation work into a visible political priority — a signal that goes beyond ceremony. The ₹51,000 cash component, modest by government standards, is nonetheless meaningful as direct state recognition of individual effort rather than institutional achievement. This fits a broader national pattern where states compete to demonstrate conservation credentials, especially as tiger census numbers and reserve management records draw scrutiny from the Centre. Whether this translates into sustained budgetary and administrative support for Maharashtra's tiger reserves will be the real test.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is International Tiger Day and when is it observed?
International Tiger Day is a global awareness event observed every year on 29 July to promote the conservation of wild tigers and the protection of their natural habitats.
Who received the Asiatic Big Cat Society National Award 2026?
The three recipients of the Asiatic Big Cat Society Rashtriya Puraskar – 2026 were Vishal Bansod , Gajanan Guldhey , and Vivanchana Dongre , recognised for outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation.
What was the cash prize given with the award?
Each awardee received a cheque of ₹51,000 along with the national award at the ceremony in Nagpur .
Who organised the International Tiger Day 2026 event in Nagpur?
The event was jointly organised by the Maharashtra Forest Department (Wildlife) and the Asiatic Big Cat Society , with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presiding over the award ceremony.
What is Project Tiger and how is Maharashtra involved?
Project Tiger is a Government of India initiative launched in 1973 to conserve wild tiger populations across designated reserves. Maharashtra is home to several major tiger reserves and has been an active participant in the programme since its inception.
