India Reaffirms Global Leadership in Elephant Conservation

Coimbatore :12/8/25: Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri 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.

Addressing the gathering at World Elephant Day, Union Minister of State Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, 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 emphasized the importance of cross-sectoral engagement, community participation, and scientific approaches to mitigate human-elephant conflict while ensuring the well-being of local communities.

As part of the national celebrations, the Union Minister of State Shri Kirti 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

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.

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.

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. Discussions covered habitat management, corridor protection, community engagement, and capacity building in high-conflict areas. The initiative aligns with the objectives of Project Elephant, which promotes a participatory, science-based approach to elephant conservation.

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.