Postgraduate SEE student is honoured by the British Council for his work with indigenous communities

Current MSc Environment and Development student, Vaibhav Sonone, has been honoured as a finalist at the India UK Achievers Award 2024 (NISAU) in the category of Society and Policy.

The NISAU awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of distinguished Indian alumni and current students who have contributed significantly to their fields after studying in the UK. We are delighted to announce that current MSc Environment and Development student, Vaibhav Sonone was selected as a finalist for the NISAU award in the category of Society and Policy for his work with indigenous communities.  

On the 28th of February, along with two other University of Leeds alumni who were also selected as finalists from the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Leeds University Business School, Vaibhav’s work and accomplishments were honoured at the India UK Achievers Honours ceremony jointly organised by the British Council, the Department of Trade and Business, the UK Government and the NISAU.  

Vaibhav belongs to a marginalised community in a rural part of Maharashtra State and has more than eight years of work experience in the Central Tribal Region in India. Vaibhav's engagement with the tribal community of Dhamanpani village in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh has helped the community to create pathways for comprehensive development and a self-sustainable village. Currently studying the MSc Environment and Development programme in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds, his research focuses on climate change, adaptation, indigenous communities, livelihood and gender.

He is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I’m convinced that he has a very bright future ahead of him.

Vaibhav’s work has been celebrated by the School of Earth and Environment colleagues who were very pleased to hear that he had been selected as a finalist for this award.

Dr Jenny Hodbod said: “Vaibhav came to the University of Leeds with impressive professional experience from working for a well-respected non-profit organisation, PRADAN, in Madhya Pradesh, Central India, supported by two prestigious and highly competitive scholarships – the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship and the Chevening Award. His goals for the MSc and beyond are to contribute to sustainable development in Madhya Pradesh, particularly for indigenous women. He was elected one of the course reps for MSc Environment and Development and has become an important part of our community in the School of Earth and Environment - we couldn’t be prouder that he’s been nominated for the India UK Achievers Honours!”

Professor George Holmes commenting on Vaibhav’s achievements said: “I’m delighted that Vaibhav has been nominated for this very deserved award. He is a wonderfully talented student, with a real passion for changing the world for the better. He is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I’m convinced that he has a very bright future ahead of him.”

An inspiring journey

When Vaibhav was a young child, he stole a copy of Ushakaal Hota Hota, a volume of Marathi Ghazal by Suresh Bhat and was reported to the school principal. After contemplating why a young student would choose to steal a book, rather than being punished, Vaibhav was handed the keys to the school library. This experience inspired and allowed Vaibhav to gain an education which has ultimately led to his many achievements; from being awarded both the Chevening Scholarship and the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship to his most recent achievement of becoming an NISAU finalist in the category of Society and Policy.

Five years ago, the village Dhamanpani was known as ‘Kala Pani’ (meaning ‘there is no life’) and now government officials and NGOs visit Dhamanpani to understand the process of change.

Since 2018, Vaibhav and his partner Snehal have worked in the tribal region of the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh state in India. With the support of a non-profit called PRADAN, Vaibhav started work in the Dhamanpani village of Mandla district where water scarcity was the biggest challenge for the people living in the village. Speaking about the hardships he witnessed, Vaibhav explained: “every year from February to June, women would either have to walk around 3-4 km or wait 20-24 hours in a small well to fetch water. Around 90% of men migrated from villages for their livelihood and more than 80% of women were anaemic due to malnutrition.”

In the last 5 years with the help of community members, Vaibhav has transformed the Dhamanpani village through the proper utilisation of natural resources, direct support from PRADAN and effective implementation of government schemes (especially the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme). Today Dhamanpani has year-round availability of drinking water and irrigation facilities for the winter. Reflecting on the progress the village has made Vaibhav explained: “migration has been cut down by around 20-25% and women's and children's nutrition has improved with the introduction of activities and there is sufficient electricity in the village. Five years ago, the village Dhamanpani was known as ‘Kala Pani’ (meaning ‘there is no life’) and now government officials and NGOs visit Dhamanpani to understand the process of change.”

Whilst working there, Vaibhav realised the importance of studying impact of the global policy and climate change on the lives of indigenous communities, women and farmers. In order to make an impact, Vaibhav decided to further develop his knowledge. In 2023, he won two prestigious scholarships: the Chevening Scholarship and the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, both funded by the United Kingdom government. The Commonwealth Scholarship made it possible for Vaibhav to enrol on the MSc Environment and Development programme at the University of Leeds where he is both actively engaged with his studies and has thrived in his new environment, becoming both an elected course representative and delegate for the National Union of Students at Leeds University Union.

 

Being connected with institutes such as the Sustainability Research Institute, Priestley Centre for Climate Futures and School of Earth and Environment will certainly benefit my future work.

Reflecting on his journey at the University of Leeds, Vaibhav said: “The University of Leeds will be the biggest supporter of my work in the upcoming years. While studying here, I see the indigenous communities of India especially Madhya Pradesh from a global perspective. Discussions in lectures, seminars and especially with my professors help me to think critically and thoroughly. I got the perspective of how global institutions and forums such as UNEP, UNFCCC and IPCC look into the matter of indigenous communities and developing countries. My decision to work in Central India was firm, however, at the University of Leeds I got the inspiration and clarity to research and work on women and climate adaptation. 

I am thankful to Pro. Jennifer Hodbod, Pro. Ajay Bhave and Pro. Jouni Paavola for their support and guidance in delving into academic research. Through them, I was able to understand the theoretical insights of climate adaptation and women which helped me to shape the direction of future work. Being connected with institutes such as the Sustainability Research Institute, Priestley Centre for Climate Futures and School of Earth and Environment will certainly benefit my future work.”

Congratulations to Vaibhav for being selected as a finalist for this prestigious award, it is a fantastic representation of his hard work and success.

Find out more

Read more about the India UK Achievers Honours.

Learn more about Vaibhav’s work.

Are you interested in studying a Masters at Leeds? Visit the School of Earth and Environment to learn more about the degrees we offer at Leeds.