Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve named 'Best Wildlife Destination' at India Today Tourism Awards 2026
Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) was named the 'Best Wildlife Destination' at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026, with the award presented at a function in Goa on June 15, 2026 in the presence of Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Madhya Pradesh's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Samita Rajora received the award. Bandhavgarh, located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, is renowned for its high density of Bengal tigers and is part of the Vindhya hills ecosystem. The reserve, declared a national park in 1968 and a tiger reserve in 1993 under Project Tiger, was also featured in The New York Times' '52 Places to Go in 2026' list.
Key Facts & Details
9 points- 1Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh has been honoured with the 'Best Wildlife Destination' award at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026.
- 2The award was received by Samita Rajora, MP's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, at a function in Goa on June 15, 2026.
- 3It was presented by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the presence of Goa CM Pramod Sawant.
- 4Bandhavgarh, in Umaria district in the Vindhya hills, was declared a national park in 1968 and a tiger reserve in 1993 under Project Tiger.
- 5It is famed for its high density of Bengal tigers — among the highest in India — and was also featured on The New York Times' '52 Places to Go in 2026' list.
- 6Madhya Pradesh is often called the 'Tiger State of India', with the highest tiger population as per the All-India Tiger Estimation 2022 report (785 tigers).
Deep Dive
- +Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973 at Jim Corbett National Park to protect the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), India's national animal; it now covers 57+ tiger reserves across the country.
- +Madhya Pradesh's other prominent tiger reserves include Kanha, Pench, Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri, Panna and Veerangana Durgavati.
- +Bandhavgarh also contains the Bandhavgarh Fort — a 2,000-year-old hill fort — and ancient cave inscriptions, blending wildlife and heritage tourism.
Exam Focus
Expect questions on the award (Best Wildlife Destination), the magazine survey (India Today), the state (MP), the location (Umaria district), the year of being declared a tiger reserve (1993) and Project Tiger's launch year (1973) at Jim Corbett.
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Tiger-reserve recognition items combine environment, tourism and static GK on protected areas — high-yield testable nodes for SSC and banking GA. The award also lets students refresh Project Tiger facts and Madhya Pradesh's position as India's Tiger State.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Project Tiger is a centrally-sponsored scheme launched on April 1, 1973 at Jim Corbett National Park by the Government of India and the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to save the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), India's national animal declared in 1973. The scheme is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended 2006). India now has 57+ tiger reserves spread across 18 states. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968, became part of Project Tiger in 1993, and is one of the country's premier tiger habitats. Madhya Pradesh has consistently topped the All-India Tiger Estimation — the latest 2022 census (released 2023) put the state's tiger count at 785, retaining the 'Tiger State of India' title.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 2Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, named 'Best Wildlife Destination' at the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026, is located in which state?
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