Gujarat Ecology Society (GES) invites applications and nominations for the Hasmukh Shah Memorial Awards for Ecological Studies 2026 under the theme “Strengthening Ecosystem Resilience for Sustainable Development.”
The awards aim to recognize and reward individuals whose work has made a significant impact in the fields of environment, conservation, or development, demonstrating a proven track record of researched, developed, or implemented innovative environmental, technical, or social solutions.
The awards are given in two categories 1) Researchers and 2) Practitioners
Each category carries a prestigious cash prize of two lakh rupees (₹2,00,000). In addition to the main award, felicitations of fifty thousand rupees (₹50,000) will be conferred upon two researchers and two practitioners exhibiting promising research potential under the Jury Recognition Awards. There are total 6 awards
Top 26 shortlisted candidates for Hasmukh Shah Memorial Awards for Ecological Studies 2025
We are pleased to announce the candidates shortlisted in the first round of evaluation for the Hasmukh Shah Memorial Awards (HSMA) 2025 under the Researcher and Practitioner categories. These candidates will now move forward to the second round of evaluation.
Shortlisted Candidates
| # | Researcher Category | # | Practitioner Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aamer Khan | 1 | Byju H |
| 2 | Adhavan D | 2 | Gajanan Wagh |
| 3 | Ayushi Gupta | 3 | Haridasan Vadakkotil |
| 4 | Heena Chauhan | 4 | Javid Ahmad Dar |
| 5 | Krishnapriya P.P. | 5 | Monali Shah |
| 6 | Lingeshwaran P.K. | 6 | R. S. Rawat |
| 7 | Monika Sharma | 7 | Randeep Singh |
| 8 | Nobin Raja M | 8 | Shubha Kulkarni |
| 9 | Ridham Dave | 9 | Sohail Madan |
| 10 | Sakti Pattnayak | 10 | Sonika Kushwaha |
| 11 | Samrat Sengupta | ||
| 12 | Sangeeta Gohel | ||
| 13 | Subhasree Das | ||
| 14 | Sudipan Saha | ||
| 15 | Swapnali Gole | ||
| 16 | Swati Udayraj |
Categories
Hasmukh Shah Memorial Award for Ecological Studies – 2026
Research Areas
(For Researchers)
Researchers engaged in creative and impactful work in the following areas within India are eligible for consideration:
- Conservation of Biodiversity and Ecological Systems – research and conservation work on biodiversity (including ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity) across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems.
- Restoration and Management of Ecosystems for Resilience – research and implementation work focused on restoring, rehabilitating, and sustainably managing degraded ecosystems to enhance resilience against climate variability and environmental stress.
- Community, Policy, and Governance Dimensions of Ecosystem Management-research work addressing institutional frameworks, community participation, traditional knowledge, and policy mechanisms that promote sustainable and equitable management of natural resources and ecosystems.
Eligibility:
- Master’s students with three years of research experience or Ph.D. researchers from related disciplines, who graduated or submitted a thesis on or before 31st March 2026 from any institute, university, or R&D lab, are eligible to apply.
- Must have published at least two papers in a peer-reviewed national or international journal.
- The upper age limit for the award is fixed at 40 years.
Procedure of submission:
A detailed proposal of the intended work, written in simple and general English, should be uploaded in the file format provided below
File Editing format: (Heading Font size 14, Body Text 12, Font Type: Times New Roman, Line Space 1.3)
- Project title
- Background of the research, highlighting the research issue and hypothesis (150 words)
- Objectives of the project (100 words)
- Methodology/ tools used (500 words)
- Expected outcome (150 words)
- Executive Summary (Explaining innovation, impact, sustainability, and scalability of the project for which the grant is being sought) (300 words)
- Covering letter duly signed by the Guide/Mentor and forwarded by the institution
- Detailed resume covering experience, publications/patents and recognitions
- Copy of Aadhar Card or any other age proof.
NOTE: UPLOAD ONLY ONE SINGLE PDF FILE CONTAINING ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to make an offline presentation before the selection committee in subsequent round(s).
Main Award:
Two Lakh only (₹2, 00,000) + certificate.
Jury Recognition Awards in the Research Category: Two additional awards of fifty thousand only (₹50,000) each and certificate will be given to researchers whose projects are promising, innovative, and worthy of note.
Evaluation Criteria: Each application will be evaluated and judged against Impact, Innovation, Sustainability, and Scalability as criteria for the awards
Impact Area
(For Practitioners)
This award aims to honor outstanding professionals who have significantly impacted stakeholders in the specified fields:
- Conservation of Biodiversity and Ecological Systems – work related to biodiversity (including ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity) across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems.
- Restoration and Management of Ecosystems for Resilience – work focused on restoring, rehabilitating, and sustainably managing degraded ecosystems to enhance resilience against climate variability and environmental stress.
- Community, Policy, and Governance Dimensions of Ecosystem Management-work addressing institutional frameworks, community participation, traditional knowledge, and policy mechanisms that promote sustainable and equitable management of natural resources and ecosystems.
Eligibility:
- Any individual working in any organization in the above areas in India will be eligible to apply. The person should be recognized as the key contributor to the impact created and must be a team lead or project leader for the program.
- They must have an experience of a minimum of 5 years in the specified area
- Age Limit: Above 40 years with no upper age limit.
Procedure of submission:
A proposal detailing the impact created by your work in the last five years, along with the focus area and the proposed research work, must be submitted in general English. The document should follow the file format provided below
File Editing format : (Heading Font size 14, Body Text 12, Font Type: Times New Roman, Line Space 1.3)
- Project title:
- Innovation idea (250 words)
- Outline for the proposed intervention, including detailed methodology and activities of the intervention, give a graphical representation also (500 words)
- Expected outcome and section of the society that will be benefited (200 words):
- Executive Summary (Explaining innovation, impact, sustainability, and scalability of the project for which the grant is being sought) (300 words)
- Nomination letter forwarded by the institution/Head (100 words)
- Detailed resume covering experience, publications/books/patents and recognitions
- Copy of Aadhar Card or any other age proof.
NOTE: UPLOAD ONLY ONE SINGLE PDF FILE CONTAINING ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to make an offline presentation before the jury committee in subsequent round(s).
Main Award:
Two Lakhs only (₹2,00,000) + certificate.
Jury Recognition Awards in the Practitioners Category: Two additional awards of ₹ 50,000 each will be given to practitioners whose proposed projects are promising, innovative, and worthy of note.
Evaluation Criteria: Each application will be evaluated and assessed against Impact, Innovation, Sustainability and Scalability as criteria for the awards
Process and Timeline:
- February 16, 2026: Online application and registration opens
- July 15, 2026: Final date for entries, applications, and nominations
- October 30, 2026: Evaluation and shortlisting by the Jury
- December 2026: Presentations by shortlisted candidates
- Announcement of awardees and Award ceremony to be held at the 5th Hasmukh Shah Memorial Lecture, Vadodara, Gujarat, India