Shimla
Himachal Pradesh’s wildlife photographer Prakash Badal has been honored by Cedar brook University of the USA with an honorary PhD degree for his significant contribution to journalism and wildlife photography. This award ceremony was held on 18 January in Delhi. Prakash Badal has received this honor after assessing his significant contribution to wildlife photography and journalism for more than 20 years. Prakash Badal was informed by Cedarbrook University through a written letter about being selected for this award, and this honor was given to him in a grand convocation ceremony at Hotel Tivoli in Delhi. It is worth mentioning that Prakash Badal is the only photographer from Himachal Pradesh who has taken amazing pictures of birds not only in India but in the whole country by going to different areas with his personal resources. The photographs taken by Badal have also attracted the attention of the foreign media, due to which Prakash Badal’s photographs have been published in many leading newspapers of India and abroad, including Great Britain’s leading newspaper, The Sun, at different intervals during the last few years. Apart from this, Prakash Badal’s photographs have also been featured by Net Geo on its social media handles.
According to sources, Prakash Badal has so far taken excellent photographs of about 600 birds present in India. Badal is the only wildlife photographer from Himachal Pradesh who travels all over India in search of birds and has captured excellent photographs of birds of different species in his camera. Many famous organizations of Calcutta and Bangladesh have not only given Prakash’s photographs a place in exhibitions, but he has also been honored with many awards. Punjab Sahitya Kala Aadmi has also honored Badal. He has also been honored in Nainital under the joint aegis of Uttarakhand Forest Department and Strabo Pixel Club. Former Governor of Himachal Pradesh His Excellency Bandaru Dattatreya has also issued a citation praising Badal’s work, in which his photographs have been praised. Prakash Badal works in Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in Shimla and belongs to Jubbal, a small village in Upper Shimla.
The honorary degree conferred on Badal has brought glory to the state. This degree was conferred on many scholars of the country and abroad on 18 January in the presence of various eminent personalities for their outstanding contribution in various fields. Many dignitaries were present on this occasion, including Yogendra Chandolia MP, Swami Chakrapani Ji Maharaj, President of the Hindu Mahasabha Birla Mandir Delhi, Swami Chandra Dev Ji Maharaj, Founder and President of the Global Sant Samaj Kalyan Foundation, Smt. Pushpa Jindal, famous social worker and educationist, Dr. Harinder Garg, Producer Director of Delhi Doordarshan, Maryam Jannat, famous entrepreneur, Kamal Wadhawan, Founder of the Wadhawan Group, and Director Manish Gupta, among many other dignitaries.