Sun Mar 30 12:53:49 UTC 2025: ## Telangana Water Conservationist Awarded Prestigious “Forest Man of India” Prize
**GUWAHATI, INDIA – March 30, 2025** – Telangana-based water conservationist M. Karunakar Reddy was awarded the inaugural Jadav Payeng International Award on Sunday. The award, named after Assam’s Jadav Payeng, the renowned “Forest Man of India,” recognizes outstanding contributions to environmental conservation.
The ₹2 lakh prize, citation, and memento were presented at the Jyoti-Protap Gyanmarg Bidyalay in Jorhat, Assam. Reddy, humbled by the recognition, compared receiving the award to winning a Nobel Prize, highlighting Payeng’s selfless dedication to environmentalism. He emphasized the urgent need for global action on water conservation, particularly in the face of climate change, urging individuals to actively participate in tree planting and water conservation efforts. He highlighted India’s resource disparity, stating that the country needs better resource management given its large population and limited resources.
The Jyoti-Protap Education Trust, which established the award, lauded Reddy’s pioneering work in water conservation, land restoration, disaster relief, food security, and climate change awareness. Payeng himself, who famously transformed a 550-hectare sandbar in the Brahmaputra River into a forest reserve, expressed his support for Reddy’s selection and hopes the award inspires further environmental action.
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