Ajjinanda Thamoo Poovaiah

Ajjinanda Thamoo Poovaiah from Kodagu is a wildlife protector, businessman, activist and conservationist and a eminent entrepreneur  Unable to tolerate the devastation of tree felling in Kodagu district,Poovaiah put together a network of local residents to fight against the all-powerful timber mafia 15 years ago.

Achievements

• He discovered that there was a nexus between criminals and some forest officials.
• Under the banner of the Kodagu Ekikrana Ranga, Poovaiah and his team worked tirelessly to bring the accused to justice.
•  In 2003, when he saw the same scam being perpetrated in Nagarahole, he worked to expose a six crore timber racket around a World Bank project that was stripping the forest.
• Pooavaiah subsequently co-founded an organisation called ‘Living Inspiration for Tribals’ or LIFT, to enlist locals into conservation by finding them employment in the Forest Department and helping those who opted for voluntary relocation out of the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.

Awards

• He was honoured with “wildlife service award”
• Best Entrepreneur for Kodagu for supporting agricultural products by the Chief Minister-2021