Nirmal Kulkarni felicitated with the prestigious

‘Karmaveer Puraskar’

Nov 2012:

Nirmal U Kulkarni was felicitated with the coveted ‘Karmaveer Puraskar’ award on the 26^th of November in New Delhi at an exclusive awards function which was a part of “iCONGO’s REX Conclave, organized on 25^th, 26^th and 27^th .of November  2012.

REX ( www.rexideas.com )is Latin for KING and REX conclaves shall be the king of all good thought leadership for CHANGE conclaves (with an eclectic mix of “ROCKSTAR SPEAKERS”, cause related performers, short film screenings & awards) where ideas speak out to encourage proactive action to change our world. REX CONCLAVE is the scaled up new avatar of the RIGHT every WRONG conclave, which were knowledge forums that were pivotal for pioneering huge thought leadership for addressing various social issues ranging from Education to Healthcare & Poverty to Marginalization, Climate Change, Corruption, Environment, Electoral Reforms, CSR, Communalism, MDGs and Constitutional rights & duties awareness.

The CtrlS - iCONGO promoted “KARMAVEER PURASKAAR (KVP)” are the Global Awards for Social Justice and Citizen Action instituted by the people sector & civil society with various partner organizations, citizens at large and media supporters. Be the change you want to see in this world is what every KARMAVEER inherently believes and practices. 

The awards are given every year on the 26th day of November, our National Social Justice and Citizen Action Day, the day we adopted our constitutional pledge as a REPUBLIC and Indian Citizens in 1949. It is the first award of its kind from India, and probably around the globe, that has been held every year for the past 5 years, at a very austere, simple and dignified program in New Delhi. 

 The “KARMAVEER PURASKAAR” awards ceremony has over the years become a “MELTING POT” where People from India & Global Citizens that comprise individuals ranging from princes and princesses to global bestselling authors, young politicians, statesmen, bureaucrats, ambassadors, actors, singers, captains of industry, media professionals, development workers, young adults, students, school children, homemakers, academicians, slum workers and others who come “TOGETHER as ONE to RIGHT every WRONG”.  

 iCONGO, in association with CtrlS, VSO India and SOAP, has also launched Karmayuga-Right every Wrong Generation, an initiative that salutes and showcases the extra ordinary and inspiring work done by ordinary mortals, to Right a Wrong that they see around them.

The awards recognize and applaud the social commitment of concerned individuals, who have proactively and voluntarily worked for bringing a positive transformation in the society and the world we live in. In today’s world where there is huge apathy & indifference, we feel a paramount need for being not just a good person but also a good citizen who exercises her/ his rights, duties & responsibilities as a concerned, just and humane citizen. 

Nirmal, a herpetologist and wildlife photographer has worked in the Western Ghats of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra and as a group team leader in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala. He is involved in data collection and consultancy services on eco-tourism and wildlife research projects across the country. His experience in setting up and running Wildernest Nature Resort, an eco-tel in the heart of Chorla Ghats, holds him in good stead. He was also part of a team that worked on conserving the forests of the Northern Western Ghats of India and led to the creation of the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, and also helped declare the Mhadei Wildlife sanctuary as a Proposed Tiger reserve.

Among the significant discoveries to his credit are three new species of legless amphibians, the caecilians - Goan caecilian (Gegeneophis goaensis), Mahdei caecilian (Gegeneophis mhadeiensis), and the Chorla Giant striped Ichthyophis (Ichthyophis davidi). He was part of a team that reported new sub-species of the pit viper (Peotobothrops jerdonii xanthomelas) - the Jerdon’s Red spotted pit and ahs various other notes, articles and research papers to his credit on Indian herps (reptiles and amphibians).

 He has established the Mhadei region’s first independent field research station, the Mahdei Research Centre, which trains young naturalists, brings communities and wildlife enthusiasts on the same platform, and documents the biodiversity of the region. He has also authored a book titled ‘The Goan Jungle Book” which is aimed at educating students in particular and the Goan populace in general about Goa’s lesser known wildlife.

Nirmal has credited his family and team of volunteers and interns for this achievement without whose support it would be impossible to continue to work for over a decade.

Nirmal was congratulated for possessing the conviction and compassion to stand up, speak out and lead the change with his positive attitude for wildlife conservation! The Award selection panel of iCONGO, which has selected his nomination after thorough due diligence and said that they were glad to have found a true champion of social justice issues in Nirmal and wish that more and more citizens gave their time, involvement and humane feelings towards addressing issues related to conservation and wildlife protection and being the change and role models for other citizens to follow.

For more details contact ophidian_nirmal@yahoo.co.in