ABOUT
Atal Singh Dewan (1894–1966)
Atal Singh Dewan’s life is a testament to service, vision, and ecological guardianship. His values guide the Prize, reminding us that protecting forests is not just governance—it is nation-building.
Introduction
The Atal Singh Dewan Foundation stands as a guardian of the Himalayan ecosystem — one of Earth’s most critical and fragile landscapes.
Rooted in the legacy of Atal Singh Dewan (1894–1966), a pioneering forest administrator from Sikkim, the Foundation’s work bridges traditional stewardship and modern sustainability science.
Through climate-smart forestry, carbon credit–based livelihood programs, and partnerships across governments, institutions, and indigenous communities, the Foundation reimagines mountain restoration as both a climate imperative and a pathway to rural prosperity.
Focus Areas
Restoring degraded Himalayan slopes through verified carbon credit frameworks.
Empowering local and tribal communities as custodians of their landscapes.
Building cross-border dialogue for Himalayan ecological security.
Data-driven, satellite-mapped, and impact-assessed reforestation strategies.
About the Foundation
Founded in reverence to Atal Singh Dewan, one of Sikkim’s earliest forest visionaries, the Foundation carries forward his philosophy:
“Forests are the first and last guardians of civilization.”
From his leadership in Operation Resumption (restoring forests from private landlords) to the introduction of teak in Sikkim’s biodiversity mix, Dewan’s work defined an era of ecological reform under the Royal Kingdom of Sikkim.
The Foundation institutionalizes that spirit for the 21st century — integrating policy, science, and community wisdom to build a sustainable Himalayan future
