Pan Singh Gaunia, posted as beat watcher in Haldwani forest division’s Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary, has been awarded with Wildlife Warrior Award for the year 2015.
The Wildlife Warrior Awards are given every year by Saevus and Hem Chand Mahindra Wildlife Foundation, two firms engaged in wildlife conservation, to those foresters who do exemplary work in protecting the biodiversity.
This year, eight newly created wildlife sanctuaries across the country were chosen for conferring these awards and Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary is one of them.
The recipient of the award, Pan Singh Gaunia is posted at the Aanwala Khera area of the Nandhaur wildlife sanctuary. He was selected by a panel of experts for displaying valour while fighting a bear during a routine patrolling on the evening of August 18, 2014 in the same beat. The bear with her cubs attacked Gaunia, injuring him on his face and other parts of his body. However, the forester did not give in. The gigantic beast finally gave up and Gaunia survived to tell the tale of his valour to others.
This is a great honour for all of us, said C S Sanwal, DFO, Haldwani forest division.