The C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre received the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar for the year 1996 in September 2000. The award instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests is presented every year to individuals and organisations, who have contributed significantly towards environmental protection. The award includes a silver lotus trophy, a citation and a cash prize of Rupees One Lakh.

Using the cash award as corpus, the Board of Governors of the C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre decided to institute an annual C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre Award for Environmental Education. The annual award is given to a teacher, who has contributed to the field of environmental education, preferably from a rural area. The award consists of a silver plaque, a citation, as well as a cash prize.

LIST OF AWARDEES

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2007

Shri. Swaraj Kumar Kanhar Headmaster-Incharge, Ambajhari U.G.M.E. School, Ambajhari (Boudh District), Orissa.

Shri. Swaraj Kumar Kanhar is a dedicated environmental conservationist in Boudh District of Orissa. He has done yeoman service to protect the forests, wildlife and environment since 1987. He has organised several awareness camps and seminars on prevention of forest fires.

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2006

Shri T.R. Rajan Teacher, M.G.M.N.S.S. Higher Secondary School Lakkatoor (Kottayam District), Kerala.

As a teacher for more than 25 years, Shri.Rajan has been a source of inspiration and a motivator of young minds. He has been instrumental in forming Energy Conservation Clubs in more than 60 schools in Kottayam He is the school co-ordinator of the National Green Corps (NGC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, and District Coordinator of Kindness Clubs and Love Green Clubs in schools.

Shri.Rajan has published a booklet entitled ‘Jantu Janya Rogangal’ on behalf of SPCA, Kottayam and is also the Chief Editor of Neelakurinji, a scientific magazine.

His passion for the environment has transformed this teacher into a innovator. He has successfully developed improvised, low cost energy conserving devices like a new smokeless chulha named Grahalakshmi and has been propagating the use of a thermal cooker, named Thapa Bharani. He has spearheaded the rainwater harvesting drive by building one at his school which has served as a model for many.

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2005

Shri. Ramakrishnappa Assistant Master, Government P.U. College Venkatapura (Tumkur District), Karnataka.

Shri. Ramakrishnappa started his career as a school teacher in 1969. He served as a major resource person, introducing nature education to primary children. Between 1993 and 1995 more than 800 programmes were conducted all over the state, covering 40,000 students. In 1996, when the Secondary School syllabus was redesigned to include ecological concepts and activities called Parisara Payana for Class X, he was the main resource person and designed an activity book for teachers.  Mr. Ramakrishnappa’s students took up identification of Medicinal plants for the school level Biodiversity Registers in Karnataka and won prizes.

Since 1993, he has been participating in the National Children’s Science Congress as a guide and trainer for other teachers.  Shri. Ramakrishnappa was also instrumental in forming 1200 self-help groups for women in Tumkur under the Continuing Education Centre. He has authored three books in Kannada: Parisara Payana, Audi Kaliyova, Papanna Pariya Kathe and translated a guidebook into Kannada as “Chinnara Loka”.

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2004

Shri. V. Ramalingam Teacher, Jeevanandam Government Higher Secondary School Karamanikuppam, Pondicherry.

Shri. V. Ramalingam is a dedicated environmentalist and has been instrumental in bringing awareness to the citizens of Pondicherry about their environment. As the Teacher in-charge of the Environment Education Cell, State Training Centre, Government of Pondicherry and Coordinator, National Green Corps (NGC), he has motivated and trained several teachers and students to establish herbal gardens in schools.  He has organized environmental awareness workshops for students, teachers and voluntary workers in the Union Territory of Pondicherry since 1989. He has played a pivotal role in documenting the ecological and archaeological heritage of the Union Territory. Shri. Ramalingam has paved the way for many school based environmental activities and eco clubs. He has led many environmental movements and mentored many.

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2003

Shri. J. Lakshminarayanan Headmaster, Government High School Kallakorai, Nilgiris District, Tamilnadu.

Shri. J. Lakshminarayanan is a dedicated environmentalist and has worked hard to motivate the students of the schools in the Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu to protect the environment. With his students, he participated in the establishment and maintenance of C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre’s gene pool of medicinal plants in Thambatti. He established a community polytechnic for tribals in Kammathi village of Gudalur taluk. He has worked hard to prevent the degradation of the Mudumalai forest. As Headmaster of Kallakorai Government High School, he has involved the students in planting 7000 cypress trees and 500 shola species. He has brought in segregation of garbage, and vermicomposting of biodegradable waste. He has set up a herbal garden and bird feeders, and motivated teachers and schools in this ecologically fragile and important district, to save the forests from human interference.

Shri. M. Ramadoss
Headmaster, CGBVS Government Middle School
Nenmeli, Kancheepuram District, Tamilnadu.

Shri. M. Ramadoss has made commendable efforts to increase awareness and interest among the students and public about environmental protection and conservation.  He is a dedicated conservationist and educator. He has been very actively involved in afforestation and water conservation programmes in Nenmeli village.  He has transformed his school into an environmentally sustainable model by diverting the waste water for use in the kitchen garden and cooking the mid-day meal in a well maintained smokeless chulha.  Every year he accompanies his students around the nearby villages to mobilise the people’s cooperation for water conservation and proper waste recycling.

CPREEC AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION – 2001

Shri. R. Sankara Narayana Headmaster, Zilla Parishad High School, Kotapalli, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh.

Shri. R. Sankara Narayana has made commendable efforts to increase awareness and interest among the students and public about environmental protection and conservation. He has motivated his students and their parents to green the school and the village. With the combined efforts of the Headmaster, his students, their parents and the villagers, the school campus has turned green, with the plantation of different varieties of plants. To increase the consciousness and involvement of the people, he has spent his personal money to purchase different plant species. The Headmaster has also constructed two new classrooms and renovated the school premises. He is a dedicated conservationist and educator.

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