Mumbai, India (May 7, 2026) — The National Geographic Society is thrilled to name Krithi K. Karanth as the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year. Karanth, a world-renowned scientist, conservationist and educator is the CEO of the (CWS), a nonprofit that aims to safeguard India’s vast and diverse wildlife heritage. She is being honored for her transformative work in human-wildlife coexistence and her commitment to protecting India’s most vulnerable wildlife and wild places.
The Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Society, reserved for individuals whose work epitomizes the spirit of discovery and demonstrates a profound impact on the preservation of our planet. Krithi is the first Indian explorer to win this coveted accolade. The award will be presented at the Society’s annual Explorers Festival, hosted in collaboration with the Society’s long-standing partner, Rolex.
“Krithi embodies the very best of what it means to be a National Geographic Explorer,” said Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society. “Through her leadership at CWS and her multiple ambitious conservation programs she’s sparked a movement of hope among communities and thousands of young people in India and globally. By combining science, education and community partnership, Krithi has reshaped and improved the relationship between people and wildlife in ways that are visionary, collaborative and profoundly optimistic. Honoring Krithi as the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year recognizes a leader who is helping redefine conservation in the 21st century.”
Alok Jain, Head – Hindi & English International Entertainment Business (Streaming, TV & Studios), JioStar added, “For over a century, National Geographic has stood at the forefront of storytelling, bringing to life extraordinary individuals and moments that shape how we understand the world. Krithi K. Karanth’s recognition as the 2026 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, the first Indian explorer to win this honour, is a proud moment for conservation in India. She embodies the power of storytelling, science, and exploration to drive real change and her work truly shows how Indian conservationists are leading from the front on some of the world’s most urgent challenges.”
Karanth’s career in conservation has spanned nearly three decades of turning deep inquiry into transformative action. She has been working with the National Geographic Society since 2011, when she became the recipient of the Society’s 10,000th grant. Since then she has received multiple grants and recognitions from the Society and followed her curiosity into global spaces, developing community-based strategies that address the complex needs of wildlife and people. Her visionary leadership at CWS has transformed the spark of scientific discovery into historic milestones for mitigating human-wildlife conflict across India.
Karanth has authored over 100 scientific research papers that have redefined our understanding of human-wildlife interactions, species extinctions, tourism, land-use change and hunting and trade. She has also mentored over 300 young scientists from Chile, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, the United States and the United Kingdom while engaging 1,000 citizen science volunteers in her research and field projects.
Karanth has further advanced wildlife conservation by igniting curiosity in the next generation of students through her program. Wild Shaale (“Wild School” in the Kannada language) engages children living near wildlife through art, multimedia stories and play-based learning, nurtures their curiosity and empathy, and provides practical strategies for coexisting with wildlife. A pillar of CWS, Wild Shaale was created by Karanth and fellow Explorer Gabby Salazar and is supported by the Society. Since its inception in 2018, Wild Shaale has worked with local educators to reach 72,000 children in 1,626 schools to foster positive human-wildlife relationships.
Karanth has received over 50 awards for her outstanding conservation, education and research. She has been named a 2019 Rolex Laureate, honored as a 2025 McNulty Prize winner and was awarded the 2026 Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize.
“To be named Explorer of the Year by National Geographic Society and Rolex is an incredible milestone,” said Karanth. “At the Centre for Wildlife Studies our unwavering commitment to the well being of wildlife and people underpins our science-based conservation actions. This recognition provides a distinguished global platform to elevate our innovative, impactful and scalable conservation programs while fostering empathy, deepening impact and promoting a collective stewardship of the natural world.”
