Tribal leader Rajappa to receive award for welfare, forest conservation work

Sub : Env

Sec: biodiversity

Context:

The Hulikanu Wildlife Conservancy Foundation (HWCF) in Bengaluru has nominated J.T. Rajappa, a tribal conservationist and community leader, for the prestigious Hulikanu Progressive Adivasi Wildlife Award.
The award includes a ₹3 lakh cash prize.

Hulikanu Wildlife Conservancy Foundation (HWCF):

It is a Private incorporated on 03 February 2014.
It is classified as Non-government company and is registered at the Registrar of Companies, ROC Bangalore.

About J.T. Rajappa:

Born in 1965 into the Jenu Kuruba tribe, Rajappa grew up in the Malalu Kolli Hadi hamlet near Nagarahole, Karnataka.
He developed a strong passion for wildlife and conservation from an early age.
He worked as a Forest Department watcher (1984-1987), where he became aware of the hardships faced by his community.
Elected to the Virajpet taluk panchayat in 2005, Rajappa began driving positive change for forest-dwelling communities.
Since 2007, he has been instrumental in the voluntary resettlement of over 300 tribal families to modern communities outside the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.

Key Achievements:

2010: Led the relocation of 150 families to Settahalli in Hansur taluk.
Served on influential committees:
- National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) (2012-2015).
- Mysore District Relocation Committee (post-2015), where he pushed for the integration of social development with wildlife conservation.

Jenu Kuruba tribe:

The Jenu Kuruba are a tribe of people who traditionally gathered honey and lived in the forests of the Western Ghats in India.
The word “Jenu” means “honey” in Kannada, reflecting the tribe’s traditional occupation.
The Jenu Kuruba are primarily found in the Nilgiris region, which borders Karnataka and Kerala.

Source: TH