RBS Earth Heroes Awards honour impact-makers in climate change
Author(s): City Air NewsNew Delhi, November 11, 2019: RBS India, the innovation and operations hub of RBS, announced the winners of the 9th edition of the RBS Earth Heroes Awards (REHA), who have made a significant mark in the space of...
New Delhi, November 11, 2019: RBS India, the innovation and operations hub of
RBS, announced the winners of the 9th edition of the RBS Earth Heroes Awards
(REHA), who have made a significant mark in the space of “Climate Change” – the
theme for the 2019 awards.
The Awards are an attempt to recognise the grit and
determination of individuals and institutions who went beyond their call of
duty with an aim to preserve and protect our environment. The seven winners
were felicitated in the presence of Shri Babul Supriyo, Union Minister of State for Environment,
Forests and Climate Change; Prof Ramesh
Chand, Member NITI Aayog; Shri
Siddhanta Das, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary to the
Govt., senior officials, awards jury, and guests, for their indomitable
commitment to save the planet’s ecological assets.
Shri Babul Supriyo said, “I commend the awards organisers
and the jury for really seeking out ‘unsung heroes’ from the nook and corners
of the country. The seven award winners this year from Forest Guards to Members
of Parliament and Researchers to Civil Societies, and individuals from various
walks of life, truly reflect the commitment of India’s citizens to protect our
natural heritage”.
Shri N Sunil Kumar, Head of Sustainability, RBS India and CEO, RBS
Foundation India, said, “Coming in the wake of the recent UN General Assembly’s
Special Session on Climate Change, and the signing up for ‘Responsible Banking’
at the UN, the Awards serve to demonstrate the stellar contributions these
heroes have made in conserving forests, marine life, and other ecosystems for
climate mitigation.”
The winners of the 2019 RBS Earth Heroes
Awards are:
REHA Winners |
Location |
Award Category |
Bholu Abrar Khan |
Bharatpur |
Award Category – Green Warrior |
Dimbeshwar Das |
Assam |
Award Category – Green Warrior |
Ela Foundation |
Pune |
Award Category – Earth Guardian |
Aishwarya Maheshwari |
Uttar Pradesh |
Award Category – Save the Species |
S. Sathish |
Tamil Nadu |
Award Category – Save the Species |
Jalal Ud Din Baba |
Kashmir |
Award Category – Inspire |
Pramila Bisoyi |
Odisha |
Award Category – Lifetime Achievement |
Shri Pankaj Phatarphod, Country Head of Services and Managing
Director, RBS India said, “Climate change is real, and the consequences of
climate change and the planet’s depleting natural resources are much closer
than we think. It is our duty to protect our planet, not only for us but for
future generations too. The RBS Earth Heroes Awards’ journey has been humbling
and inspirational. It allows RBS an opportunity to study and honour individuals
and entities for their relentless work in conservation and sustainability. It
is, indeed, a privilege for us to be hosting these awards each year. It is
important that we recognise these individuals who have taken upon themselves,
the duty of protecting our natural heritage, with some of them risking and
sacrificing personal assets and wellbeing – it is a true celebration of India’s
spirit of public service.”
RBS Earth Heroes Awards were institutionalised in 2011 to provide a
national platform to those individuals and institutions that have espoused and
undertaken actions to protect our endangered forest, wetlands, and other
natural ecosystems. The award winners were
selected by an independent jury comprising eminent personalities from
conservation science and management, media, and the government.
RBS set up the RBS Foundation India in 2007 to strengthen communities,
improve livelihoods, and promote conservation in over 1,100 villages since its
inception. The Foundation’s 22 projects across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala,
Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, West Bengal,
Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh, continue to benefit over
1,00,000 families.