Srinagar, Jan 26: Arif Shafi Wani, the Executive Editor of Greater Kashmir—the leading English Daily of Jammu and Kashmir, has been awarded the prestigious State Award as Outstanding Environmentalist by the Jammu and Kashmir Government on the occasion of Republic Day.
Arif has been working with Greater Kashmir for the past over two decades. He has done Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from Media Education Research Centre (MERC) Kashmir University. He has also done Bachelors in Commerce. He specialises in covering environment issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. He is an alumni of Tyndale Biscoe School.
He is the first journalist in Kashmir to launch a sustained campaign for over a decade on conservation of Dal Lake and other water bodies in Kashmir which have been marred by extensive pollution and encroachment. He has extensively highlighted impacts of climate change besides factors contributing to rapid melting of glaciers, deterioration of wetlands, vandalisation of karewas and illegal riverbed mining.
In recognition of his continuous work on the environment, he was honored with the first Sher-e-Kashmir (Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah) Award for Environmental Awareness in 2007 by the then Member Parliament and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Minister of Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah.
He also received the Ozone Award for best environmental reporting in 2008 and Award of Excellence for best environmental and tourism reportage in 2009 and 2012 by the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir. Arif is also the recipient of Green Journalist Award in 2012 in recognition of his contribution as journalist in the conservation of Dal Lake.
In 2013, Arif was awarded Parvaran Mitra Award by the Environmental Medical Association of India. He was also felicitated with Award of Honour for environmental reporting by Jammu and Kashmir Ski and Mountaineering Association. He has also been awarded Ahad Zargar Memorial Award for his environmental conservation efforts. In 2017, then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti awarded Arif with life lifetime achievement award for highlighting environmental issues. In 2017, the Department of Religious Studies Central University of Kashmir awarded Arif, for his “commendable services towards environmental conservation.”
In 2018, J&K Government honoured him with a state award in outstanding media persons category. In 2021, Members of Parliament led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader Chirag Paswan presented the Real Hero Award to Arif for his exceptional services in journalism and highlighting environmental issues. Kashmir Welfare Trust also awarded Arif in 2021 in recognition of his outstanding service to community and environment. In 2024, Arif was awarded the Award of Excellence by Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma during a function organised by the Nigeen Tourist Traders Association.
