Alipurduar, July 30 -- West Bengal is set to receive the prestigious 'Gaj Gaurav' award for the first time, with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change selecting seven mahouts from Jaldapara National Park for their outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation and rescue operations. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Visakhapatnam on August 13.

According to the Ministry, the recipients are Bikash Kharia, Rajib Oraon, Ajibul Haque, Ajit Gabur, Mumtaz Alam, Amashu Khariya and Dilip Munda. Bikash Kharia and Rajib Oraon have been honoured for their courage in saving their kumki elephants during the devastating floods of October 2025, while the remaining five have been recognised for their key role in rescuing 13 one-horned rhinoceroses swept away from Jaldapara by floodwaters.

On October 5, 2025, exceptionally heavy rainfall caused the Shil Torsa River to overflow, inundating Jaldapara National Park and washing away 13 rhinos towards Patlakhawa and Pundibari in Cooch Behar district. While some animals took shelter in the Rasmati forest, others strayed into nearby human settlements, prompting the Forest Department to launch 'Operation Rhino'.

The 55-day rescue mission involved 19 trained kumki elephants, including Balaram, Sundarmani, Amba, Karna and Joy. Working round the clock, the mahouts guided the elephants through flooded terrain to track and contain the displaced rhinos. A temporary pilkhana was set up at a local primary school, where the elephants were housed and cared for throughout the operation.

Forest personnel later tranquillised the rhinos from atop the kumki elephants before safely transporting them back to Jaldapara. The successful rescue of all 13 rhinos has since been hailed as a landmark achievement in wildlife conservation. Welcoming the recognition, awardee Amashu Khariya said: "It is immensely satisfying when your hard work is recognised. We are all grateful to the Central government for this honour."

Forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon said: "The entire department is proud of them. Their tireless dedication, courage and willingness to risk their lives have enabled us to set new benchmarks in wildlife conservation."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.