Rouf Ahmed Rather

Green Teacher Award

A skilled educator who challenges norms and inspires youth to connect with the wild and who joins the conservation community as an informed, concerned individual. 

Rouf Ahmed Rather
Naturalist par excellence, educator, nature photographer

Rouf is a charismatic young visionary. His mission is to create a phalanx of young nature defenders by offering them hopeful, learning experiences to create a deeper connection with the magic of the biosphere. By fostering this relationship, Rouf is encouraging young people to work in harmony with wild places, systems and species, countering the practices of generations of elders across the globe that continue to look upon life-giving wildernesses as little more than an unlimited larder of raw materials to be trashed for short-term economic gains.

Having grown up in the lap of the natural beauty of Kashmir’s Dachigam National Park, Rouf is now a dedicated steward and a mentor for young Kashmiris. Soon after finishing school, young Rouf chose to work outdoors at an apple orchard, where his relationship with nature deepened through the exploration of nearby habitats, fuelled by a passion for birding. Today, he is a teacher at J&K’s Government Boys High School in Habbak, Shanpora, Srinagar. He is also the Head of the Jammu & Kashmir Birdwatchers’ Club,

Popular with his students, Rouf emphasises education and community involvement, encouraging young Kashmiris to embrace and explore the forests, wetlands, high altitude grasslands, and wild flower meadows that made Kashmir the ‘Jannat’ (paradise) it is. Aligned with the Wildlife Conservation Fund (WCF), an NGO founded in 2010, he believes that uniting young people is the most effective way to improve their quality of life and tackle the global threats posed by the climate crisis.

Rouf holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Kashmir University, and later earned a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from IGNOU. After being recruited by the Department of Education, he began working closely with the ENVIS Hub at the J&K Department of Ecology, Environment, and Remote Sensing. He encourages curiosity in his students and frequently leads groups of young Kashmiris on conservation walks and birdwatching treks, believing these experiences deepen their understanding of nature through direct interaction. He also involves them in community clean-ups, working in tandem with villagers and government officials. By holding outdoor workshops, Rouf’s students absorb environmental awareness naturally through hands-on learning.

Despite dwindling resources and the worsening climate crisis, Rouf continues to make remarkable progress with a new generation of socially diverse, local conservationists destined to be globally recognised biodiversity and climate champions. His love of nature is infectious and understandably, his reputation as an empathetic teacher has grown, as have the many photography and short film awards he says were mere byproducts of his mission.

In an era marked by a growing disconnect between the natural world and everyday human life, educators like Rouf serve as vital bridgeheads to connect young minds with the natural world, empowering them to be stewards and citadels of hope for a future where humans live in harmony with nature as an article of faith and survival.

For his visceral belief in nature conservation, and dedication to the use of education as a gateway to secure tomorrows, we honour him.