Why in news:

• Recently, the second edition of the prestigious Machhli Award and Vanya Prani Mitra Award to promote wildlife conservation was held in a virtual ceremony.
• The awards are jointly instituted by Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) and WWF India.
  
   

Machhli Award

• Named after the legendary tigress of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, the award aims to recognise exceptional contribution by the field staff of the Rajasthan Forest Department, local community member, an individual or a group in conserving wildlife and their habitats across the length and breadth of the state.
• The Machhli Award carries a cash/in-kind equivalent award of Rs one lakh and a citation.
• This year’s recipients of the Muchly Award are Mahesh Kumar Sharma (forest ranger – WL), Premendra Singh (forester), Mukesh Kumar (forest guard), Pappu Singh (forest guard), Virendra Singh (forest guard) and Man Singh (pump operator), Lakhan Singh (forest Ranger), Umesh Jat (assistant forester), and Ramveer Singh Gurjar (forest guard).
  
   

The Vanya Prani Mitra Award

• The Vanya Prani Mitra Award is for outstanding contribution to management of human wildlife conflict in Rajasthan.
• This award carries a cash/in-kind equivalent award of Rs two lakhs and a citation.
• The Vanya Prani Mitra Award, this year, was won by Ms Prem Kanwar Shaktawat (Assistant Forester) and Dwarka Prasad Sharma (assistant forester).
  
  
   
• The awardees are selected by an eminent committee chaired by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Rajasthan.
• Other members of the committee include:
  • A senior forest official of the Rajasthan Forest Department
  • a renowned personality with interest in environment and nature conservation
  • a representatives of Prabha Khaitan Foundation and WWF India.

The idea behind the awards:

• The second edition of the awards recognizes the commendable efforts of the awardees to protect the precious wildlife in Rajasthan.
• This recognition is bound to encourage forest and wildlife officials and activists to strengthen their commitment to community-led conservation of wildlife against mounting odds.
• Such recognition will go a long way in encouraging the field staff of the Rajasthan Forest Department who protect and conserve the state’s wild animals and their habitats often at great peril to themselves.