Jayshree Vencatesan, co-founder of the Care Earth Trust based in Chennai, has become the first Indian to receive the prestigious Ramsar Award for ‘Wise Use of Wetlands’. The announcement was made by the Ramsar Secretariat in Geneva on March 8, 2024, marking International Women’s Day.

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• Jayshree Vencatesan is the first Indian to receive the Ramsar Award for ‘Wise Use of Wetlands’.
• The Ramsar Award is an international honor recognizing contributions to wetland conservation.
• She was recognized for her extensive work on the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai.
• Vencatesan’s work includes documenting over 337 species of flora and fauna in Pallikaranai Marsh.
• She highlighted wetlands’ role in flood mitigation and advocated for their inclusion in urban planning.
• Vencatesan leads an all-women research team, empowering women in the field of conservation.
• Her work addresses systemic issues like outdated land records and bureaucratic delays in conservation efforts.
• She dedicated the award to her late father, Mayur Narasimhan, who inspired her conservation work.
• Vencatesan stressed the need for more investment in women’s technical skills for effective environmental governance.
• Tamil Nadu, where Vencatesan works, has 18 Ramsar sites, showcasing its rich wetland heritage.
• Other women changemakers honored alongside Vencatesan include Celeste Saulo, Jennifer George, and Tatiana Minayeva.