The Habitats Trust Grants Funds INR 3.8 Crore to Protect India’s Wildlife

8th edition introduces new Research Grant for science-led conservation

Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India – Business Wire India

The Habitats Trust (THT) today announced the recipients of its eighth edition of The Habitats Trust Grants, awarding INR 3.8 crore- the largest private funding of its kind- to eight conservation projects across India.

The grants focus on protecting lesser-known species and critical habitats, and for the first time, include the THT Research Grant to support interdisciplinary research combining ecological, social, and technological approaches.

Since its inception in 2018, the THT Grants programme has supported over 31 projects across 25 States and UTs, disbursing more than INR 12.93 crore. Projects funded have included species recovery, habitat restoration, applied research, and community-led conservation.

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Founder and Trustee, The Habitats Trust, said, “The ecological security of our nation depends not only on charismatic species, but more importantly on lesser-known species and fragile habitats that often remain overlooked. Through THT Grants, we seek to advance the conservation of these critical yet neglected components of biodiversity, while strengthening and supporting grassroots organisations that are instrumental in this endeavour, ensuring a resilient future for India’s natural heritage.”

Rushikesh Chavan, Director, The Habitats Trust, said, “India’s conservation challenges increasingly require science-led, interdisciplinary solutions. From the Tibetan Sand Fox of the Trans-Himalayas to community-managed forests in Assam, the THT Grants continue to support overlooked species and habitats, while our new Research Grant enables practitioners to bridge critical knowledge gaps and translate them into on-ground action.”

2025 Grant Categories and Recipients

THT Conservation Grant - Supports organisations addressing India’s conservation challenges, with a focus on lesser-known species and critical habitats.

• Grameen Sahara (Assam) - To strengthen governance and management of 10,000 hectares of community forests in Assam through Community Conserved Areas (CCAs).

• HUME Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology (Western Ghats, Kerala) - Conserving the endemic Banasura Laughingthrush through community-led action.

THT Action Grant – Supports urgent, on-ground projects for lesser-known species and habitats requiring immediate intervention.

• Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (Kanchenjunga Landscape) - Scaling up conservation of critically endangered Chinese Pangolins.

• Bryan Miranda (Goa & Chennai coast) - Mapping habitats of critically endangered Guitarfish.

• Noel Giri (Darjeeling) - Conservation of Himalayan Salamander.

• Sunil Harsana (Delhi NCR) - Studying Striped Hyenas in Aravalli Hills, a critical wildlife corridor.

THT Research Grant (New in 2025) – Supports interdisciplinary research that informs on-ground conservation action strategies.

• Coastal Conservation Foundation (Mumbai) - Developing a conservation framework for Indian Ocean humpback dolphin.

• Wildlife Institute of India (Trans-Himalayas) - First-ever study on the ecology of the Tibetan Sand Fox.

This year, THT received 119 applications of which 36 were shortlisted and field-evaluated of which 12 were presented to the Jury, through a rigorous four-stage evaluation process assessing relevance, scalability, sustainability, and measurable impact. The jury comprised -

• Bahar Dutt – Wildlife biologist & environmental journalist

• Brian Heath – Founder & CEO, Mara Conservancy, Kenya

• Dr. M. K. Ranjitsinh – Wildlife expert & architect of India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

• Roshni Nadar Malhotra – Chairperson, HCLTech, and Founder & Trustee, The Habitats Trust

The 2025 grants reaffirm The Habitats Trust’s commitment to addressing India’s most pressing and underfunded conservation priorities. By combining immediate on-ground action with research-driven insight, THT aims to create scalable, sustainable solutions that protect biodiversity while empowering local communities and conservation practitioners

About The Habitats Trust

The Habitats Trust (THT), was founded in 2018 by Roshni Nadar Malhotra Chairperson of HCLTech, and Shikhar Malhotra, CEO and Vice-Chairman of HCL Healthcare. The Habitats Trust provides solutions to the complex challenges of economic growth by securing ecological functionality. Currently THT works with over 120 partners in 32 of India’s 36 states and union territories.

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