Supriya Sahu

Supriya Sahu, a 1991-batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu cadre, has over 30 years of public service experience. She currently serves as Additional Chief Secretary to the Tamil Nadu government for Environment, Climate Change, and Forests Department. 

In December last year, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) named Sahu as one of this year’s ‘Champions of the Earth’, the organisation’s highest environmental honour. In 2024, she initiated a plan to provide safe passage to elephant herds crossing the railway track in Madukkarai, where earlier such crossings often resulted in injuries or deaths due to train collisions.

As part of this effort, two dozen 360-degree-wide hybrid thermal cameras have been functioning since February 9, 2024 for a 7.05-kilometre distance from the railway tracks A and B at Boluvampatti Block I Reserve Forest in Solakkarai. These AI-based cameras installed as part of early warning systems have successfully prevented elephant deaths over the last two years.

Reflecting on the initiative, she wrote on X, “AI early-warning system, which has enabled nearly 6,000 safe elephant crossings, shows that technology can meaningfully reduce conflict when applied thoughtfully. No system is ever perfect, but solutions like this show what is possible when prevention is prioritised.”