Jamshedpur, October 4, 2026: Tata Steel Zoological Park (TSZP), jointly with the Jamshedpur Forest Division, today concluded the week-long Wildlife Week Celebrations 2026 with a closing ceremony held at the Zoo premises, bringing together students, teachers, parents, forest officials, Zoo staffs and nature enthusiasts to celebrate a week dedicated to wildlife conservation and environmental awareness.

The celebrations began on 30th September 2026 with an On-the-Spot Essay Writing Competition for students of Std IX to XII, followed by a series of engaging events through 1st to 4th October. Highlights of the week included a Quiz Programme for Std X to XII students on wildlife and biodiversity, a Formal Inaugural Function and Walkathon, an inter-school Debate Competition on “Climate Change and Human-Wildlife Coexistence,” and an On-the-Spot Painting Competition that drew participation from 600 (approx.) students across 32 schools.

The closing ceremony, held today between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm, was graced by Shri Vishwanath Shah, Chairman, Jharkhand Biodiversity Board, Government of Jharkhand, as Chief Guest; Captain Amitabh, Secretary, Tata Steel Zoological Society, as Guest of Honour; and Shri Saba Alam Ansari, Divisional Forest Officer, who was also present on the occasion. Dr. Naim Akhtar, Director, Tata Zoo, was also present in the ceremony.

The ceremony opened with the national anthem, followed by the welcoming of guests on the dais through the presentation of plant saplings, symbolising the spirit of conservation at the heart of the week's activities. Dr. Seema Rani, Biologist cum Education Officer and Programme Coordinator, welcomed the gathering and presented an overview of the week's events, followed by addresses from the Guest of Honour and the Chief Guest.

The event also recognised the panel of judges who evaluated the Essay Writing, Quiz, Debate, and Painting competitions through the week. In the Painting Competition, the preliminary round was judged by  Somnath Choudhary and  Manik Saw, with final judgment by  Krishna Saran Mahato, Senior Artist, Jamshedpur School of Arts. The Chief Guest and Guest of Honour were also felicitated by the Zoo in recognition of their continued support.

Vote of Thanks & Closing

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Mahato, Curator, Tata Steel Zoological Park, who thanked the guests, participating schools, parents, Forest officials and the Zoo team for making the week's celebrations a resounding success.

Officials of Tata Steel Zoological Park emphasised the importance of engaging young minds in conversations around wildlife protection and coexistence with nature, noting that Wildlife Week continues to be an important platform for building environmental awareness among students and the wider community each year.

Painting Competition Results

Primary Category (Nursery–Std I) – “My Favourite Animal”

1st: Shreehani Behera (SDSM)

2nd: Anushka Sahu (Shiksha Niketan, Telco)

3rd: Amayra Raj (Tarapore School)

Consolation: Adrit Halder (KPS Kadma)

Junior Category (Std II–V) – “Life in the Forest”

1st: Aarav Singh (Chitrakala Mandir)

2nd: Anandita Raj (Kerala Public School, Gamharia)

3rd: Ronak Kumar (Jamshedpur Public School)

Consolation: Divyanshi Sahoo (Hill Top School, Telco)

Middle Category (Std VI–VIII) – “Animals and Their Habitats”

1st: Vaishnavi Rajak (Kerala Public School, Burmamines)

2nd: Ayush Ranjan (Hill Top School, Telco)

3rd: Yash Kumar Mahato (Jusco School, Kadma)

Consolation: Saumya Dassharma (Jusco School, South Park)

Senior Category (Std IX–X) – “Coexistence with Wildlife: Striking a Balance”

1st: Khushi (Jamshedpur Public School)

2nd: Anubhav Kumar (Sabuj Kalyan Public School)

3rd: Vaibhavi (DAV Bistupur)

Consolation: Anushka Mahato (Hill Top School, Telco)

Winners of the Essay Writing, Quiz, and Debate Competitions were also felicitated during the ceremony, with cash prizes of up to Rs. 10,000 awarded to the winner of the Quiz Programme, along with runner-up prizes of Rs. 7,500 and Rs. 5,000.