Anant Ambani, founder of the Gujarat-based wildlife conservation initiative Vantara, has been awarded the Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare by the Global Humane Society, the international arm of the American Humane Society. The recognition makes him the youngest and the first Asian to receive the honour, which is considered among the highest global acknowledgements in the field of conservation and animal welfare.
The announcement was made at a Washington, DC event attended by global conservation leaders, zoological experts, and senior representatives from international wildlife organisations.
The award cites Ambani's "science-led, evidence-based" approach to conservation, highlighting Vantara's large-scale rescue, rehabilitation and species-preservation work. The facility, which operates on a hybrid model integrating ex-situ care with in-situ ecosystem support, has been recognised for redefining standards in long-term wildlife protection.
Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of the Global Humane Society, praised Ambani's leadership and the scale of operations built under Vantara. She said the initiative "sets a new global benchmark for compassionate, science-backed care," adding that Vantara's certification under the Global Humane Certified program followed one of the most rigorous welfare audits conducted by international experts.
Ambani said the award reaffirmed the principle of sarva bhuta hita — the wellbeing of all beings — and described conservation as a shared responsibility rather than a future obligation. "Our purpose is to give every life dignity, care, and hope, guided by the spirit of seva," he said.
The Global Humanitarian Award has previously been given to a limited group of figures including Hollywood personalities such as Betty White and Shirley MacLaine, and political leaders such as US Presidents John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton and George HW Bush. The organisation, founded in 1877, is one of the longest-running institutions dedicated to animal protection and oversees global certifications across farming, conservation, agriculture and entertainment.
At the event, representatives from global conservation bodies — including experts from IUCN, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Columbus Zoo and Colossal Biosciences — emphasised the increasing importance of restoration-focused conservation models. Indian experts in attendance included wildlife researchers Dr. Neelam Khaire, Dr. V.B. Prakash and Dr. K.K. Sarma.
With Vantara's recent certification and Ambani's recognition, India's conservation sector gains rare global visibility at a time when national biodiversity programmes are shifting focus toward scientific rewilding, endangered species protection and cross-border collaboration.
