Archive · 11 Dec 2025
Tamil Nadu IAS Officer Wins UN Award
Supriya Sahu, an IAS officer, has won a big award from the United Nations for her work on protecting the environment.
She has been working for 30 years to help India's nature and animals.
She started a campaign to stop using plastic a long time ago when not many people were talking about it.
She has also helped plant lots of trees, create new forests, and make wetlands bigger.
She even painted roofs white to keep schools cooler.
The UN gave her this award because she has done so much to help the planet.
She loves elephants and thinks they can teach us about being strong and working together.
IAS officer Supriya Sahu wins UN's 'Champions of the Earth' award in the 'Inspiration and Action' category.
Sahu has worked on major environmental challenges in India for 30 years.
She launched 'Operation Blue Mountain' in 2000 to eliminate single-use plastic in the Nilgiris district.
Under her leadership, Tamil Nadu has doubled its mangrove cover, expanded wetlands from 1 to 20, and established 65 new reserve forests.
Sahu has introduced initiatives like the Cool Roof Project and the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, and led efforts to plant over 100 million trees.
- Who
- IAS officer Supriya Sahu
- What
- Won the UN's Champions of the Earth award
- When
- Award received on Wednesday
- Where
- Event in Nairobi
- Why
- For her pioneering work on environmental challenges in India
- Award
- Champions of the Earth 2025
- Category
- Inspiration and Action
- Recognition For
- Pioneering work on environmental challenges
- Key Initiative
- Operation Blue Mountain
- Trees Planted
- 100 million
- New Reserve Forests
- 65
- Mangrove Cover Doubled
- Yes
- Wetlands Expanded
- From 1 to 20
- Endangered Species Conservation Fund
- US$60 million
Sources
IAS officer Supriya Sahu wins UN’s top environmental honour
TN Officer Supriya Sahu Wins UN's Highest Environmental Honour
Who is Supriya Sahu? Tamil Nadu IAS officer gets UN's highest environmental honour — Know all about her work
