Visakhapatnam students encouraged to value traditional knowledge and protect elephants
Visakhapatnam — Visakha Valley School observed World Elephant Day on Thursday, August 13, organising a programme centred on the theme “Elephants and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”. The event brought together government, museum and industry representatives to underline the need for conservation of elephants and broader wildlife, and to sensitise schoolchildren to local biodiversity concerns.
The chief guest was Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and External Affairs, who attended the school event in Visakhapatnam. Also present were Naaz Rizvi, Director of the National Museum of Natural History, and D.S. Varma, head of AM/NS India Vizag and a member of the school’s governing body. The programme combined talks with student-focused activities to link conservation messaging to cultural and ecological knowledge.
Calls for protection and greater sensitivity to nature
Speakers at the programme stressed that elephants and wildlife require active protection and conservation measures. They urged students to cultivate a stronger sensitivity towards nature and biodiversity through awareness and education. The school’s principal, Eshwari Prabhakar, outlined the institution’s intent to extend environmental and wildlife conservation learning beyond routine academics.
Speakers emphasised that elephants and wildlife must be protected and asked students to develop greater sensitivity towards nature and biodiversity.
Alongside the talks, the school organised an inter-school drawing competition, inviting younger participants to express their understanding of elephants and conservation through art. Winners were honoured during the programme and received mementoes and certificates, reinforcing the event’s educational and cultural emphasis.
- Event: World Elephant Day programme, Visakha Valley School, Visakhapatnam
- Date: Thursday, August 13, 2026
- Theme: Elephants and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage
- Notable attendees: Kirti Vardhan Singh; Naaz Rizvi; D.S. Varma; Principal Eshwari Prabhakar
Local context and implications
Visakhapatnam lies in a state where human-wildlife interfaces and conservation issues draw periodic attention, and initiatives that pair cultural perspectives with scientific conservation messages can strengthen local engagement. By bringing together a central government minister, a national museum director and a corporate leader from AM/NS India, the school sought to present conservation as a shared responsibility spanning public institutions, cultural bodies and industry stakeholders.
The presence of the National Museum of Natural History’s director highlights an educational angle: museums and schools often collaborate to translate scientific and cultural knowledge into curricular and extra-curricular activities that reach children at an early age. The inter-school art competition offered a practical outlet for students to engage creatively with conservation themes, potentially reinforcing classroom lessons with community participation.
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Union Minister of State (Environment, Forest & Climate Change; External Affairs) | Kirti Vardhan Singh |
| Director, National Museum of Natural History | Naaz Rizvi |
| Head, AM/NS India Vizag; School governing body member | D.S. Varma |
| Principal, Visakha Valley School | Eshwari Prabhakar |
The event signals an ongoing effort among local educational institutions to integrate environmental stewardship into school life. Such programmes aim to create a generational shift in attitudes towards wildlife, which is a key component of long-term conservation strategy in regions that share landscapes with large mammals.
No announcements of new government programmes or funding were made at the school function. The day’s activities focused on awareness-building, cultural connections and student participation, rather than policy declarations.
Visakha Valley School’s observance of World Elephant Day thus combined cultural heritage with biodiversity messaging, underlining the role schools can play in fostering conservation-minded citizens in Visakhapatnam.
