Environmental Lawyer and Conservationist Nadeem Qadri Conferred with the Guardians of the Himalayas Award
Dehradun: Strengthening Uttarakhand’s growing presence on the national literary and cultural landscape, the Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) represented the state at the third edition of the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar.
During the festival, the prestigious Guardians of the Himalayas Award, instituted by the Dehradun Literature Festival, was conferred upon noted environmental lawyer and conservationist Nadeem Qadri.
Hosted by the National Book Trust, Ministry of Education, Government of India, in collaboration with the District Administration of Srinagar, the Chinar Book Festival brought together distinguished voices from literature, culture and public life at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC).
Nadeem Qadri is the founder of The Nature University at Pampore, Kashmir, and one of Jammu & Kashmir’s leading environmental lawyers, conservationists and policy advocates. He has served as Amicus Curiae to the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir on environmental matters across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and was appointed a Member of the Green India Mission (GIM) in 2023. He is also the founder of the Wildlife Conservation Fund (WCF) and the driving force behind Project Hangul, a pioneering initiative dedicated to conserving the endangered Kashmir Stag.
The award was presented by acclaimed filmmaker and Patron & Mentor of the Dehradun Literature Festival Imtiaz Ali, along with Samraant Virmani, Founder and Producer of the Dehradun Literature Festival.
Presented annually by the Dehradun Literature Festival, the Guardians of the Himalayas Award recognises individuals and organisations making exceptional contributions towards environmental conservation, ecological awareness and the preservation of the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Through this honour, the festival continues to reinforce Uttarakhand’s commitment to celebrating voices that champion sustainability and environmental stewardship across the Himalayan region.
Adding to Uttarakhand’s representation at the festival, Samraant Virmani was invited as a speaker on the panel discussion titled “Beyond the Postcard: Redefining Tourism Through Literature, Books, Music and Digital Innovations.”
Speaking on the transformative power of literature, cinema, music and the arts, he said, “There should be no on and off tourism season in the hills. To promote this, we should encourage more cultural and literary events throughout the year by organising and curating an event almost every month in the hills. Additionally, we should encourage a habit of reading among children and young people, as books are a great way to imagine and unleash one’s creative side.”
Through his address, Virmani encouraged audiences to read more, engage in meaningful conversations, remain conscious of environmental challenges and keep the spirit of learning alive.
The momentum now builds towards the eighth edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival, themed “Life, Literature and Legacy,” scheduled to be held from 27th to 29th November 2026 at Doon International School, Dehradun, where writers, thinkers, artists and readers from across India and beyond will once again come together to celebrate the transformative power of ideas.
