Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo Wins Nature Care Award 2025 for Environmental Innovations
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, December 21, 2025 – Renowned plant biologist Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo, founder of the Cherry Blossom Festivals of India, has been conferred the Nature Care Award 2025 for his pioneering contributions to nature-based environmental solutions.
The award, presented by the Nature Care Initiative at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, recognised Professor Sahoo’s groundbreaking work in climate change mitigation, bioresources management, and environmental awareness.
The ceremony was attended by eminent scientists, policymakers, and dignitaries from across the country.
Professor Sahoo is internationally acclaimed for conceptualising and initiating the Indian Cherry Blossom Festivals in Shillong and Manipur in 2016 during his tenure as Director of the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD).
He also holds the distinction of being the first Indian student to visit Antarctica as part of the Indian Scientific Expedition (1987–88).
Currently serving as Head of the Department of Botany and Chairperson of the Research Council at the University of Delhi, Professor Sahoo has led pioneering research in seaweed cultivation, developing underwater forests that sequester three to four times more carbon dioxide than terrestrial plants.
His work also highlights seaweed’s role in mitigating ocean acidification, a pressing global concern.
Beyond research, Professor Sahoo has championed environmental awareness through his campaign “Grow a Tree for Life”, inspiring students nationwide to take part in sustainable initiatives.
In recognition of his scientific contributions, two plant species—Prunus dinabandhuana (cherry blossom) and Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis (ginger)—have been named in his honor.
