Award for efloraofindia

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PFA the Media release for Declaration of Wipro-NFS Sparrow Award. You can circulate this to your media contacts.

Media
Release

Wipro-Nature Forever Society Sparrow Awards

The
Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards were instituted in 2011 with an aim to identify
citizens who are an inspiration for the Citizens to get involved into
conservation. Since last year, a cash prize of Rs.50,000/- are given to each of
the three Sparrow Awardees to support them financially in their endeavours.

The funding will help
the winners carry out vital conservation and environmental work undertaken by
them. It will also help inspire citizens to get involved in conservation
movement of India. Nature Forever Society is committed to helping the winners
in continuing their positive environmental and conservation efforts.

The
Wipro – Nature Forever Society Sparrow Award are not given to professional
conservationists, ecologist or environmentalists. It is given to citizens who
are doing innovative, inspirational and grassroots’ work towards conservation
and environment.

Our sentiments behind the awards

We have often noticed that in the field of conservation
while the best known conservationists consistently receive accolades for their
work, there is no support offered to the citizens carrying out grassroot
conservation work in their local regions.

We believe that such citizens whose job or profession is
not conservation, but are making vital and important contributions in a
selfless right way to save the environment, deserve accolades. The sentiment
behind Nature Forever Society’s Sparrow Awards is to honour such people and
applaud their silent efforts.

In the coming years, we aspire to make the Wipro – Nature
Forever Society Sparrow Award one of the most prestigious honours one could
hold; tough to attain and inspirational to retain.

Objective behind Wipro – Nature Forever Society’s SPARROW
AWARDS:

·        
To involve the citizens  from diverse sections of the society in the
conservation movement

·        
To honour the work of individuals and
organisations at the grassroots level for strengthening the conservation
movement for protection of the environment and biodiversity.

Since its inception in 2011,
Awards have recognised inspirational work of citizen non- professional
conservationists and researchers.

Wipro – Nature Forever Sparrow
Award 2014winners were selected through information collected from different
sources throughout the year as well as through nominations received from across
the country. The credentials of all candidates were further scrutinised and
authenticated. 

Nomination process for this
year’s awards were closed on  15th February 2014. What followed was a gruelling
selection process, creating a shortlist of nominees meeting the key criteria,
the work should be innovative, inspirational and that individuals are suitable
role models for the citizens to follow.

 Three individuals from different parts of the
country were selected as outstanding recipients of the Wipro – Nature Forever
Society Sparrow Awards 2014.

 

Wipro – NFS Sparrow Award Winners for 2014

1)      J M
Garg (Passionate Naturalist) Kolkata

2)      Shyam Sundar Paliwal (Social & Environmental activist)
Pipalantri (district Rajsamand) Rajasthan

3)     
Nadeem
Shehzad and Mohammad Saud (Bird-of-prey Rescuers & passionate Vets) Old
Delhi

 

 

Profile of J M Garg

Mr. Garg having always been interested in the avifauna of
India, first used photography to capture the beauty that lay around him and
later decided to use the Internet to connect with people that had similar
interests. On exploring, he learnt that there was hardly any e-group devoted to
photographing, identification, discussion, learning etc. on Indian Flora. This
is how the idea of efloraindia was first conceived.

Inspired after reading Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, J M Garg
decided to start an online group dedicated to the discussion and identification
of Indian trees. Expectedly, he had his inhibitions about this initiative since
its success was totally dependent on public participation. He was concerned
that people would not only have to join the group, but also participate;
offering up pictures of trees for identification and, just as importantly, be
prepared to identify other people’s pictures and discuss these identifications.
The book gave him the faith in his idea and he learnt the value of focus, of
passion & of helping others, and of a desire for excellence from it. Mr.
Garg started Efloraofindia (earlier Indiantreepix) Google e-group in June,
2007. He wrote to different people and other
e-groups for membership and by the end of the month Efloraofindia had around
112 messages, with a membership of around 50 members. 

During the last 7 years since its
beginning, he agreed to have faced numerous challenges and difficulties from
time to time. But with the help of our Moderators & The Pillars, the group has been able to meet them
appropriately. The e-flora model works on voluntary contribution. Mr. Garg
personal believes that “the best things in life are free”. Everything that has
come out of it has been a result of collective efforts from the contributions
of individuals’ time, effort & passion. 

 

Efloraofindia
was initially set up as a means of identifying tree species, but it rapidly
became apparent that other plants needed to be included. It currently attempts
to identify not only Indian trees but shrubs, herbs, grasses and sedges,
cultivated plants and flowers, mosses and liverworts, fungi  etc. In this
regards, Mr. Garg says he expects support from all citizens
particularly Botanists/ taxonomists to extend their valuable contribution
towards efloraofindia. He believes that this  is equally true for a layman
as is for a botanist/ taxonomist.

He believes that it was his clear
thinking that his project could see the light of day. Besides, he owes the
success of efloraindia to the selfless nature of their work. Though, Mr. Garg
has been working tirelessly for creating awareness of Indian Flora along with
its documentation for past 7 years, on receiving the Sparrow Award, he was
taken by great surprise.

About working in the field of
conservation, he says, “Online learning
through efloraofindia has inculcated a feeling of attachment among
the members toward the Indian flora. They care more about it as a result of
increased knowledge and awareness about it. The group has played a vital role
in creating awareness, inculcating a scientific attitude, helping in
identification, spreading knowledge and bringing it within reach of a layman,
and helping in the documentation of Indian Flora.”

Due to
the success of the group, around Oct.’10, Efloraofindia
(eFI in short) website was created & updated on daily
basis, for documenting flora of India being discussed on efloraofindia google
e-group along with supplementing the working of the group. A species database
has also been created here family wise & then followed genus wise. Intent
of this database is compilation of all the posts on ‘efloraofindia’ e- group so
that it’s useful to all concerned as all the data about a particular species
will be available in a single species’ page & easily searchable. It is the largest database on net on Indian Flora with details of
more than 8000 species (and with more than 1,60,000 pictures at efloraofindia
e-group links).

In the coming future, he plans to add
all plant species found in India either directly or through links along with
their details. In addition, he wants to add around 1000 new species to
efloraofindia website every year. In any case, he wants this hugely successful
citizen science initiative to maintain its leadership position as the best
resource on net on Indian Flora.

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Thanks, … I would rather say that I shall be accepting it on behalf of efloraofindia.

Thanks everybody.

I would rather say that contributions of efloraofindia are finally recognised & awarded.

Kudos & thanks to The Pillars, Moderators, Major contributors & other members who are rendering selfless service on the group. It is rather an award to all members of efloraofindia.

Another feather in cap!

Congratulation to you and the entire family of efloraofindia.
Together we can compile entire flora of India; a resource available to all interested, absolutely free.
Great going!

Contributions of efloraofindia are finally recognised & Awarded. Kudos & thanks to The Pillars, Moderators, Major contributors & other members who are rendering selfless service on the group.

Many congratulations …! You really deserve this!!

Thanks, … I would rather say that I shall be accepting it on behalf of efloraofindia.

Wonderful achievement it is, Heartiest congratulations …

Thats really interesting. Congratulations sir for this achievement…. I am sure more are on their way …..

Sir; your relentless hard work really deserve this and more. My heartfelt congratulations and good wishes.

Thanks everybody. I would rather say that contributions of efloraofindia are finally recognised & awarded.
Kudos & thanks to The Pillars, Moderators, Major contributors & other members who are rendering selfless service on the group. It is rather an award to all members of efloraofindia.

I am so happy to read this news.

Ofcourse you are deserve it through your dedication and sincere approach to efloraindia.
My hearty congratulations………

Another feather in cap!
Congratulation to you and the entire family of efloraofindia.
Together we can compile entire flora of India; a resource available to all interested, absolutely free.
Great going!

Congratulations … for your dedication and stupendous efforts.

It feels proud indeed.

Details finally available at http://www.sparrowawards.natureforever.org/jmgarg.php

  

 

 

Award for efloraofindia : 8 posts by 6 authors.
I have put it here for those who are unable to open a 2 Mb file at another thread.
Award for efloraofindia
Contributions of efloraofindia are finally recognised & awarded.
Kudos & thanks to The Pillars, Moderators, Major contributors & other members who are rendering selfless service on the group.

This is very good News, a proud moment for all. We are so grateful to … for having brought us all together.

I am just one among all of you. This certainly is a proud moment for efloraofindia family for selfless services rendered by all its members.

…, congratulations!! much deserved and timely.
Also much appreciation and congratulations to the group for fostering community spirit and citizen science!

Good wishes always for your great endeavors. Happy and proud to be part of this family.

Details finally available at http://www.sparrowawards.natureforever.org/jmgarg.php

 

 
 
 
 
 

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