National Celebrations on World Elephant Day 2026 held at Visakhapatnam; Gaj Gaurav Awards 2026 conferred for Exemplary Contributions to Elephant Conservation and Management

On World Elephant Day 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change held national celebrations in Visakhapatnam, presided over by Union MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh. The event featured the conferment of the Gaj Gaurav Awards, release of “30 Giant Steps” documenting Project Elephant’s milestones (2020‑2026), and the unveiling of a Rs 500 crore Regional Action Plan for Human‑Elephant Conflict (HEC) in Southern India. A workshop examined varied HEC scenarios, and a mass awareness drive engaged over 20 lakh students from 21,450 schools. The ministry highlighted the use of AI, remote sensing and geospatial tools to protect elephant habitats and reduce conflict.