Dr. Jayashree Vencatesan Becomes First Indian to Receive the Ramsar Award for Wetland Conservation.
Awards
In March 2025, Dr. Jayashree Vencatesan, Co-founder of Chennai-based Care Earth Trust, became the first Indian to receive the Ramsar Women Change Makers in the World Wetlands Award 2025 in the ‘Wise Use of Wetland’ category for her work in wetland conservation, particularly for protecting the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai.
- On the eve of International Women’s Day (March 8, 2025), the Ramsar Secretariat (Switzerland) named her among 12 global women changemakers recognized for their contributions to wetland conservation in the award’s second edition.
- Dr. Vencatesan, a renowned social scientist, started wetland conservation efforts with just USD 350, highlighting the ecological significance of the Pallikaranai Marsh, which plays a vital role in flood mitigation and supports 337 species of flora and fauna.
- She has published 30 scientific papers, authored a book, and was the first Indian recipient of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) - Center for Tropical Studies (CTS) short-term research fellowship based in Panama, Central America.
Main Point :- (i) Dr. Jayashree Vencatesan 's organization, Care Earth Trust, was honored with the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar in 2009 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for its work on conserving Pallikaranai Marsh and Nanmangalam Forest.
(ii) Introduced in 2024, this award recognizes women working for wetland conservation globally under categories like ‘Wise Use of Wetlands’, ‘Wetland Innovation’, and ‘Ramsar Wetland Conservation’, promoting sustainable management and innovative solutions.
(iii) Alongside Dr. Vencatesan, notable awardees include Professor Celeste Saulo (Argentina), Julie Mulonga (Kenya), Jennifer George (New Zealand), and Teresa Vincente Gimenez (Spain), among others, who have significantly contributed to wetland protection worldwide.
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