Guwahati-based lensman Samsul Huda Patgiri won a prize at the ICIMOD Digital Photo Contest on ‘Water and Life’ were announced during the Centre’s activities for World Environment Day. His photo on traditional irrigation system depicted an indigenous way of watering the paddy field. He shot at the photo at Mayang, a small village in Assam’s Morigaon district.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayas – Afghanistan, Bangaldesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan – and based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Globalization and climate change have an increasing influence on the stability of fragile mountain ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain people. ICIMOD aims to assist mountain people to understand these changes, adapt to them, and make the most of new opportunities, while addressing upstream-downstream issues.
The contest was held as a part of the celebration of ICIMOD’s 30th anniversary, and the theme was chosen to coincide with the United Nation’s International Year of Water Cooperation 2013.
Over a month and a half, contestants submitted around 3,000 photos related to three different categories: Uses or Benefits of Water and Related Resources, Hazards, Conflicts, or Issues related to Water (or Lack Thereof), and Good Practices in Water and Related Risk Management.
Patgiri says, “I am happy and enthused by this honour. I am the only Indian to have bagged this award and this makes me very proud. I dedicate this award to the common people of Northeast India.”