Centre for Wildlife Studies Joins the Shikshagraha Movement to Embed Environmental Consciousness in India's Public Schools

NewsVoir
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 29: The Shikshagraha movement, a nationwide people-powered effort to improve all one million public schools in India, took a significant stride today as the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) formally joined the movement at Shiksha Samvaad, a convening hosted at the Bangalore International Centre.
With this, CWS becomes a lead contributor to advancing environmental consciousness as an essential dimension of education quality, climate readiness and children's well-being. The move signals growing recognition that preparing India's young citizens for the future requires strengthening their relationship with nature, wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on.
Highlights from Shiksha Samvaad
The event brought together educators, conservationists, policymakers and school system leaders to reflect on how environmental consciousness can become a defining component of education quality in India. The Samvaad marked the launch of several movement-wide assets:
* Centre for Wildlife Studies officially joins the Shikshagraha movement, advancing shared efforts to embed environmental consciousness in education.
* Educator Guidebook (Vol.I) released for implementation within Karnataka's curriculum. The Wild Shaale Educator's Guidebook is a simple, activity-based resource that helps teachers bring environmental learning into everyday classroom practice. Built through years of field experience, it offers easy, hands-on activities that encourage children to explore nature, ask questions, and connect with local wildlife. Designed for educators of all backgrounds, it supports small yet meaningful actions that build environmental awareness as a natural part of school culture.
* The Education Toolkit includes detailed Standard Operating Procedures for the Modular Asset and Solution Design frameworks, offering clear guidance to teachers and facilitators using the Educator Guidebook for effective implementation.
"These resources will strengthen not only classrooms but also the communities that surround them. Environmental consciousness isn't just about conservation, it's about building sustainable livelihoods, responsible citizenship, and a deeper connection between young people and the ecosystems they depend on. When we invest in environmental education, we're investing in the resilience and well-being of entire communities," said Shruti Shibulal, Permanent Trustee, The Shibulal Family Philanthropy Initiatives (a co-builder of the Shikshagraha Movement) and Executive Vice Chair, Tamara Leisure Experiences.
A movement for environment-first schooling
Shikshagraha's core belief is that no single actor can drive systemic change alone. The movement brings together communities, civil society organisations, educators, governments and social innovators to collectively improve public schools.
By joining Shikshagraha, CWS will contribute its decades of conservation science, community engagement and environmental education expertise to strengthen the movement's work across districts, states and partner networks.
Over the coming year, CWS will support the movement by:
* Co-creating environmental education and sustainability resources with the Shikshagraha Centre of Excellence (CoE) team, ensuring contextual relevance for diverse geographies.
* Leading the Environment Sub-Collective, embedding wildlife awareness, sustainability, and climate action across the movement's partners' work.
* Building capacity of grassroots organisations to integrate environmental principles into their programmes.
* Supporting small changes in Mysuru district as part of the Exemplary Shikshagraha Intervention, a ground-level demonstration of how the vision and values of the Shikshagraha movement translate into tangible impact.
"After nearly a decade in the wildlife conservation space, one thing has become very clear to me: protecting our natural world cannot rest on the shoulders of a few people working full-time in this sector. Conservation is a shared responsibility, something each of us must carry in our daily choices and actions. Through our collaboration with Shikshagraha, we now have an incredible opportunity to take this message to thousands of children and schools across the country. By nurturing environmental awareness early on, we're helping build a generation that not only understands India's rich biodiversity but also feels responsible for safeguarding it," said Sahil Pimpale Program Manager, Wild Shaale.
A shared narrative for the next generation
As part of the movement, CWS will contribute insights from its Wild Shaale programme, best practices in conservation education, proof points demonstrating the impact of environmental consciousness on children's learning and agency and stories from the field.
In turn, Shikshagraha's movement-wide platforms -- from micro-improvement pilots to solutions repository and public communications -- will amplify the collective work, ensuring that environmental learning becomes visible, actionable and scalable.
The Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) is an internationally recognized centre-of-excellence in the areas of wildlife research, conservation, policy, and education. Our mission is to safeguard and conserve India's rich and diverse wildlife heritage through cutting-edge research, effective conservation strategies, and community engagement. For forty years, we have been committed to advancing scientific knowledge, promoting sustainable practices, and inspiring a collective sense of stewardship to ensure the survival of India's wildlife and their habitats for future generations. Our vision is of a society that values and protects its natural heritage, fostering a sustainable environment where wildlife thrives and human well-being is interconnected with the health of the natural world. Through our research, conservation efforts, and community empowerment, we aspire to create a future where wildlife and humans can coexist, ensuring the perpetuity of India's extraordinary natural wildlife heritage. In 2025, Dr. Krithi K. Karanth & CWS were recipients of the John P. McNulty Prize, the first wildlife organization to ever receive this honor.
Shikshagraha is a people-powered movement to improve all 1 million public schools in India -- so that every child experiences enriching learning and is ready for the future.
Real change begins with the child at the centre -- their learning, confidence, well-being, and aspirations, and with those closest to the child. The movement enables parents, women and youth to demand and support quality education, and equips teachers, school leaders, officials with tools for micro-improvements towards systemic change.
Currently, 35+ civil society, industry and philanthropic partners in the Shikshagraha network are collectively strengthening 1,17,000+ schools across 33 districts across 14 states & UTs. This includes enabling education leaders to lead need-based school improvements and amplifying women, youth and community participation in the public education system.
Shikshagraha works towards improving schools where the need is greatest, supports leadership on the ground, and shifts the norms that hold education back. Through visible practice change and collective action by communities, governments, civil society, and markets, it reimagines what public schools can and must deliver.
Visit shikshagraha.org for more details.
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