Parveen Shaikh and Barkha Subba Won 2026 Whitley Awards

Key facts

• Parveen Shaikh and Dr. Barkha Subba won the 2026 Whitley Awards, also known as the Green Oscars, presented by Princess Anne on behalf of the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN).
• The awards were held at the Royal Geographical Society in London, and winners received a grant of £50,000 for their grassroots projects.
• Parveen Shaikh, a scientist with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), implemented the 'Guardians of the Skimmer' initiative to protect Indian skimmer birds along the Chambal River.
• Dr. Barkha Subba, working with the Federation of Societies for Environmental Protection (FOSEP) in Darjeeling, focuses on protecting the ancient Himalayan Salamander and restoring wetlands.
• Other 2026 awardees from the Global South include Farwiza Farhan from Indonesia, Moreangels Mbizah from Zimbabwe, Issah Seidu from Ghana, and Marina Kameni from Cameroon.