Sonali Ghosh Becomes First Indian to Win Kenton R. Miller Award

Sonali Ghosh, Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, has become the first Indian to receive the Kenton R. Miller Award for Innovation in National Parks and Protected Area Sustainability.

• Award Details:
  • The award is constituted by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), a technical commission under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
  • Ghosh shared the honour with Roque Simón Sevilla Larrea of Ecuador at a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi on October 10, 2025.
  • The Kenton R. Miller Award, established in 2006, is presented biennially to individuals or teams demonstrating exceptional innovation in the sustainable management of national parks and protected areas.
• About the WCPA:
  • The World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) is one of six technical commissions of the IUCN, founded in 1948.
  • It focuses on protected area governance, policy, and management, supporting the creation and effective stewardship of national parks, reserves, and marine protected areas globally.
• About the Award:
  • Named after Dr. Kenton R. Miller, a former Director General of IUCN, the award honours innovations in planning, management, finance, governance, monitoring, capacity building, and communication.
  • It recognises individuals or groups whose work has had a significant positive impact and peer recognition, even without prior international accolades.
• Significance:
  Sonali Ghosh’s recognition underscores India’s global leadership in conservation practices, particularly in protected area sustainability, and highlights the innovative management strategies being implemented at Kaziranga National Park.