Conservation takes many forms and so do the ways in which people choose to be a part of it. Every effort adds to the larger work of creating a space for wildlife.
For Wildlife SOS, every recognition is an opportunity to celebrate the people, communities and organisations that contribute to the work being done. In 2026, two such acknowledgements brought attention to different aspects of the organisation’s work, one highlighting the role of continued engagement and support in advancing conservation, and another recognising decades of work towards empowering communities through sustainable livelihoods. These branches belong to the same organisation that was founded over 30 years ago with a strongly rooted vision and mission to protect India’s wildlife.
Recognising Support
In September 2026, Wildlife SOS was presented with the Impact Enabler Award at the Bosch Social Engagement Thank-A-Thon 2026, organised by Bosch India Foundation. The award brought into focus the longstanding association between Bosch and Wildlife SOS, and the many ways in which the Bosch team has supported our work over the years.
From stepping into the world of wildlife rescue through volunteering to helping create greater awareness around conservation, this has been shaped by continued engagement and mutual support. One of the most memorable aspects of this association has been the opportunity for Bosch employees and teams to visit the Bannerughatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) in Bengaluru. Through these visits, employees have had the opportunity to see the work of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation up close and personal, learn about the challenges faced by rescued wildlife and contribute their time by volunteering at the centre.
Such interactions are a key part of creating a deeper connection between people and conservation. A visit to a rescue centre can turn an unfamiliar issue into one that offers a closer understanding. Along with awareness, the visit becomes an opportunity to witness the care and commitment that is needed in giving rescued wildlife a better life.
The partnership has also helped take conservation conversations beyond the rescue centres. Time and again, Bosch has provided Wildlife SOS with occasions to engage with its employees and wider communities that have helped us reach new audiences and raise awareness about our work on ground. These platforms have also supported handmade products made by the Kalandar community, the Wildlife SOS initiative that works with communities to create traditional art, to support sustainable livelihoods for the women of the Kalandar community. By setting up stalls to showcase and promote handmade products and merchandise, Bosch has helped support an initiative that connects conservation with community empowerment. For Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder & Secretary of Wildlife SOS, this is what makes the recognition particularly meaningful. She reflects on the Impact Enabler Award as a reflection of a shared commitment to creating meaningful social and environmental impact, and of the value of sustained collaboration in taking that commitment forward.
Recognising Change
Protecting wildlife is also very much connected to the people and communities who share their lives and landscapes with them. For more than three decades, Wildlife SOS has worked with the Kalandar community historically dependent on wildlife exploitation, helping create sustainable alternatives through education, skill development and livelihood support.
Our committed efforts to enable and empower the Kalandar women as a poignant part of sloth bear conservation was recognised with the FKCCI Global CSR & Sustainability Award 2026 in the Excellence in Women Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion category.
The award was presented at an event organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), recognising organisations creating meaningful social impact through community-led initiatives. Wildlife SOS was selected from 127 national and international entries by an independent jury comprising leading sustainability experts and academicians.
At the heart of this formal recognition is Wildlife SOS’s long-standing work with the Kalandar community, historically dependent on wildlife exploitation. Wildlife SOS has helped over 25,000 Kalandar families transition towards alternative livelihoods to sustain their future. Rakhee Sharma, Senior Project Manager: Community Initiatives & Outreach, Wildlife SOS, has been leading the journey of once impoverished women becoming entrepreneurs and community leaders through sustainable livelihood opportunities. More than 5,000 Kalandar women have been empowered to create handcrafted products at Wildlife SOS’s Sewing Training Centres, helping them develop skills and move towards greater financial independence. The basic necessity of education in the community had been lacking, till Wildlife SOS assisted admission and gathered support for Kalandar children. This support has since expanded through tuition centres that provide children with additional academic support and help, with the newly opened library offering them greater access to books and learning resources. Today, over 17,000 Kalandar kids have benefitted from this, with aspirations that the community had never dreamt of before.
The significance of this work extends beyond the numbers. When a woman gains a skill, earns an income and becomes more confident in her ability to shape her own future, the impact can reach her family and the wider community as well. By placing women and children at the centre of community transformation, Wildlife SOS has demonstrated how empowering people can also strengthen the work of conservation.
When a community has access to dignified and sustainable livelihood opportunities, it can help reduce the dependence on activities that rely on animal exploitation, and create pathways towards a future where both people and wildlife can thrive.
Continuing the Journey
While the two awards recognise different aspects of Wildlife SOS’s conservation work, they come together around a common idea, that meaningful conservation is strengthened when people are given the opportunity to participate, contribute and help create change. Felicitations belong to the people behind the work, the teams working on ground, the communities embracing new opportunities, the volunteers who give their time and the organisations that continue to support the cause.
We are grateful to Bosch India Foundation and FKCCI for recognising two highly significant aspects of Wildlife SOS’s journey, and to the many people and organisations who continue to contribute to our work. As we move forward, these moments of recognition serve not simply as milestones, but as encouragement to keep creating opportunities for people to become part of conservation, and to keep building a future where both wildlife and communities have the space to thrive. Because meaningful impact is rarely created in isolation. It grows when people and communities come together and keep showing up for the causes that truly matter. As we continue our work towards protecting wildlife and supporting communities, we look forward to building on this, that helps turn shared intent into lasting impact.
Feature Image: (L-R) Suvidha Bhatnagar, Director – Communications, Rakhee Sharma, Senior Project Manager – Community Initiatives & Outreach, Geeta Seshamani, Co-founder & Secretary, and Sandhi Priya, Director of Corporate and Philanthropic Partnerships from Wildlife SOS. [Photo (c) Wildlife SOS]
