Imphal : Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo, widely known as the founder of India’s Cherry Blossom Festivals, has been conferred the Nature Care Award 2025 for his sustained and impactful work on nature-based solutions to environmental challenges.

The award was presented by the Nature Care Initiative, a national-level think tank, at a ceremonial function held at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. The event was attended by several eminent personalities from across the country.

An internationally respected plant biologist, Prof Sahoo played a pioneering role in conceptualising and launching the Indian Cherry Blossom Festivals in Shillong, Meghalaya, and later in Manipur in 2016. At the time, he was serving as Director of the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a Government of India institution with centres in Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Sikkim.

Prof Sahoo also holds a unique place in India’s scientific history as the first Indian student to visit Antarctica during the 1987–88 Indian Government Scientific Expedition.

Currently, he serves as Head of the Department of Botany and Chairperson of the Research Council at the University of Delhi. His research work has focused extensively on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable bioresource management. A key area of his recent work involves the creation of underwater forests through large-scale seaweed cultivation.

“Seaweeds can sequester three to four times more carbon dioxide than land plants, making them a powerful tool for reducing atmospheric CO2,” Prof Sahoo said. He added that seaweed-based ecosystems also help address ocean acidification, which he described as one of the next major environmental threats.

Beyond research, Prof Sahoo has been actively promoting environmental awareness through a nationwide movement titled “Grow a Tree for Life,” aimed at students in colleges and universities.

In recognition of his scientific contributions, two plant species have been named after him: Prunus dinabandhuana, a cherry blossom species, and Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis, a species of ginger.

The Nature Care Award recognises individuals whose work bridges science, policy, and public engagement to address pressing ecological concerns, a description that closely mirrors Prof Sahoo’s career spanning decades of research, innovation, and environmental advocacy.

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