Divya Karnad first Indian woman to receive Future of Nature award for marine conservation

NEW DELHI: Dr

Divya Karnad

has become the second Indian and the first woman to receive the 'Global Future of Nature Award' for her work on

marine conservation

.


The only other Indian to receive the award is Dr Charudutt Mishra. The award is given to three people each year and this year apart from Karnad, Olivier Nsengimana and Fernanda Abra also received it.

The '

Future For Nature Award

' is a prestigious international award that celebrates tangible achievements in protecting wild animal and plant species. Karnad, who successfully reduces the unwanted bycatch of endangered

sharks

along the Coromandel coast of India through her project - InSeason Fish, will receive this prestigious nature conservation prize and 50,000 Euros during the Future For Nature Awards event on May 3 in the Netherlands.

Karnad, 33, who teaches at the Ashoka Universty is also a Wipro Sustainable Fellow.

Speaking with TOI about the award, she said, "I did not expect it coming. It is definitely amazing."

On the concerned areas in marine conservation and how she plans to approach it, Karnad said that in India, it is difficult to focus on one aspect. "The present concern is over-fishing and non-sustainable techniques of fishing. So, my approach is broader and not limited to sharks or just the

fishermen

. I am working on sustainable fisheries and to change the practice of

fishing

for better."

She added, "Marine conservation is not only about fishermen but also the consumers, so we are helping the fishermen with sustainable techniques where we are trying to bring the two parties together.

"It is about building bridges between the fishermen and the consumers where the latter get to know the damage to the marine life first-hand," Karnad said.

On how the award will help her, she said that she hopes that it will bring the issue to light. "I can use this attention to bring the marine issues at hand to the fore so that more and more people get to know about it."



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