In reverential memory of late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in the year 1987, instituted an award called the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar to give recognition to those having made or have the potential to make measurable and major impact in the protection of environment. The prize is given each year on any environment related occasion for significant contributions in the field of environment, which are recognised as having measurable impact on the protection/overall improvement of the environment.