London: Dr Krithi K Karanth, CEO of the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), became the first Indian to win a prestigious conservation prize from the Royal Geographical Society in London on Thursday.
Bengaluru-based Karanth was named the joint winner of the 2026 Esmond B Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize for her crucial contributions to human understanding of the world’s ecosystems and work to protect the planet’s biodiversity.
She was praised as a major player in changing the narrative around conservation projects in India and beyond, creating holistic interventions that build support networks.
“I am deeply humbled and profoundly honoured to be the first Asian recipient of the Esmond B Martin Prize,” said Karanth.
“At this critical moment for our planet, the need for science-based conservation – grounded in evidence, collaboration, and courage – has never been greater.
We must nurture a growing community of stewardship – people who care deeply, act boldly, and work collectively to safeguard our shared future,” she said.
Esmond B Martin was a renowned American geographer and conservationist who left an endowment to honour outstanding
achievement by individuals in the pursuit and/or application of geographical research across the breadth of the discipline, typically in the field of wildlife conservation and environmental research studies.