Conservation needs champions beyond the forest. Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL) is proud to partner with Aaranyak, Northeast India’s foremost biodiversity conservation organisation, bringing resources, technology and commitment to wildlife protection across the eastern Himalayan region.

Founded in Guwahati, Aaranyak is a Government of India-recognised Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity, natural resources and wildlife across Northeast India. Its mission to foster conservation through research, environmental education, capacity building and advocacy for legal and policy reform, directly addresses some of the most pressing ecological challenges facing our country today: habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, illegal wildlife trade and the erosion of community relationships with the natural world. KBL’s CSR contribution continues to equip Aaranyak with the tools, technology and infrastructure it needs to work more effectively, more safely and at a greater scale in the months ahead.

A central pillar of this partnership is the effort to reduce human-wildlife conflict in communities living on the edges of forests in Assam. One of the most life-threatening situations these communities face is the unexpected, nighttime encounter with wild elephants and most such fatalities occur simply due to the absence of adequate lighting in villages that lie along elephant movement corridors. To address this, KBL has funded the installation of 24 solar-powered street lights in these high-risk villages, which are expected to dramatically improve visibility and give both residents and elephants a far better chance of avoiding one another. Complementing this, 15 Vanrakshak infrared camera traps will be deployed at the entry and exit points of elephant corridors, enabling Village Defence Patrol Groups to monitor wildlife movement. Thirty Samsung Android mobile phones for village leaders will enable them to relay animal sightings instantly to Aaranyak’s team, forest officials and police, establishing a live, community-powered early warning network.

To further strengthen the capacity of these volunteer patrol groups, KBL has provided 300 windcheaters and shoes as well as 300 ranger torches that will allow dedicated community volunteers to conduct nocturnal vigils in fringe forest areas with greater confidence and safety.

Beyond community safety, KBL’s support is set to meaningfully advance Aaranyak’s scientific and forensic capabilities. The contribution of an RT- PCR machine to the Wildlife Forensics Laboratory will aid in its ability to conduct species identification analysis in support of wildlife crime investigations, upholding India’s constitutional mandate to protect its fauna. A 50–58 KVA three-phase silent diesel generator will provide assured power backup to both the Wildlife Forensics Lab and the GIS and Remote Sensing Lab at Aaranyak’s research office in Guwahati, ensuring that critical scientific work is never disrupted by power outages. An inverter will also be installed for the K9 Sniffer Dog Unit in the western range of Kaziranga National Park, where Aaranyak’s dogs assist wildlife and police officials in crime scene investigation across five rhino-bearing areas of Assam.

KBL’s contribution will also catalyse Aaranyak’s conservation outreach and awareness work. Six electric scooters will enable Aaranyak’s educators to reach more schools and community institutions across the region, spreading awareness on water conservation, species protection and habitat stewardship. One Bolero Neo N11 vehicle, designated for Aaranyak’s Manas Conservation Outreach Centre, will facilitate awareness programmes at the border outposts of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along the Indo-Bhutan frontier, where vigilance against illegal wildlife crime and trade is especially critical. To strengthen the organisation’s communications infrastructure, KBL is funding an i7 desktop computer with UPS along with a video conferencing system for Aaranyak’s Public Relations and Communications Cell, as well as four laptops for field staff. KBL’s support touches every dimension of Aaranyak’s work, contributing towards strengthening India’s ecological security and biodiversity.