The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is set to host its prestigious Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award Ceremony on February 27, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. This event aims to honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to animal welfare and protection across the nation.
Union Ministers of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel and George Kurian, will grace the occasion. The ceremony will also be attended by Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department, Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Chairman of AWBI, along with representatives from State Animal Welfare Boards, District Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs), Gau Seva Aayogs, animal lovers, and various animal welfare organizations.
The awards are divided into two main categories: the Prani Mitra Award and the Jeev Daya Award. The Prani Mitra Award recognizes excellence in five sub-categories: Advocacy (Individual), Innovative Idea (Individual), Lifetime Animal Service (Individual), and two awards each for Animal Welfare Organizations and for Corporate entities, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Government Bodies, or Cooperatives. The Jeev Daya Award is presented in three sub-categories: Individual, Animal Welfare Organization, and for Schools, Institutions, Teachers, or Children.
The initiative by AWBI aims to recognize and promote exceptional efforts in animal welfare, fostering a culture of compassion and humane treatment toward animals in society. By highlighting these exemplary contributions, the Board seeks to inspire citizens to actively engage in the protection and well-being of animals.
In previous years, the Prani Mitra Award has been bestowed upon notable individuals such as S. Chinny Krishna, co-founder of the Blue Cross of India, for his lifetime service to animals. The Blue Cross of India, established in 1959, is one of the country's oldest animal welfare organizations, dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of animals in distress. Similarly, the Jeev Daya Award has recognized individuals like Hitesh Yadav for their unwavering commitment to animal protection.
It serves as a platform to raise awareness among citizens and motivate them to contribute to animal welfare initiatives. The event is anticipated to inspire more people to engage in acts of kindness, thus creating a more empathetic society.
