Known for saving birch forests, Harshwanti Bisht to get environment award

Gopeshwar, Sep 26 (PTI) Renowned mountaineer and educationist Dr Harshwanti Bisht will be conferred with the 2025 Kedar Singh Rawat Environment Award for her work in saving birch forests in the Gangotri region, among others.

The decision to award Bisht was unanimous, secretary of the Kedar Singh Rawat Environment Award Selection Committee, Mangla Kothiyal, said on Friday.

She has been working for more than four decades in mountaineering and to protect the environment of the Greater Himalayas.

Bisht, who has served as the president of important national institutions such as the Indian Mountaineering Institute, has worked to raise public awareness for the conservation of Bhoj trees in the Gomukh and Bhojwasa areas, the origin of the Ganga.

She is also credited with developing new Bhoj forests in the Greater Himalayan region by planting new saplings.

The award has been given since 2014 by the Chandi Prasad Bhatt Environment and Development Centre in Rampur-Fata of Kedarghati in memory of the late Kedar Singh Rawat, a renowned leader of the Chipko movement.

Kothiyal said that the award includes a citation, a robe, and a cash prize of Rs 21,000. PTI DPT HIG SKY SKY