Two Indian Activists - Sanjay Gubbi and Purnima Burman won the Annual Whitley awards, 2017, also known as Green Oscars for their work on animal and bird conservation in India, Sanjay Gubbi won the award for his work on protecting Karnataka's Tiger Corridors. Purnima Burman won the award for creating an all female network to save the Great Adjutant Stork Hargila in Assam. The Whitley Award are held annually by the Whitley Fund for nature to recognise and celebrate effective grassroot conservation leaders with focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Award seeks to recognise outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation to bring international attention to the work of deserving individuals committed to conservation benefits. The award was established by Edward Whitley in 1994.