Bhubaneswar: Environmentalist Soumya Ranjan Biswal has received the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Impact Award from the Meridian International Center and the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for his project – Community-led biodiversity conservation and nature-based solutions education for climate resilience at Devi river mouth in India, official sources said, Saturday.
Biswal’s project was selected for its potential to create lasting local impact and build upon the important knowledge and experiences gained through his IVLP participation, the US Department of State said.
The young environmentalist also received a grant of USD 5,000 for the project, it added.
Biswal’s project focuses on mobilising the coastal community in Odisha to conserve the critical mangrove ecosystem and associated coastal biodiversity for climate resilience in the Devi estuary landscape.
Biswal, who hails from Puri, has made significant contributions to environmental conservation. He founded the Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan (OPSA) in 2014, dedicated to marine turtle and mangrove conservation.
Launched in 1940, IVLP helps strengthen US engagement with countries around the world and cultivate lasting relationships by connecting current and emerging foreign leaders with their American counterparts through short-term visits to the United States.
PNN