Capturing India’s Wildlife Through its Lens’ Nikon India announces the winners of – “Wonders Of The Wild”

(The contest was held in collaboration With World Wildlife Foundation-India)

• The contest received participation from approx. 3,000 contestants.

• Exciting prizes – Nikon products worth INR 8 lakhs were awarded to the top 3 winners.

• Top 10 shortlisted entries also received exclusive WWF-India Nature Store merchandise.

New Delhi, April 3, 2024: Nikon India Private Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, is thrilled to announce the top three winners for the first season of the ‘Wonders of the Wild’ Contest held in collaboration with Worldwide Fund for Nature -India (WWF – India). The contest witnessed an overwhelming response from approx. 3000 participants from across India with a deep passion for capturing the essence of Indian wildlife. Through this contest Nikon created a platform for both wildlife photographers and videographers to showcase their expertise by capturing the breathtaking beauty of wildlife through the Nikon lens.

Nikon offers a range of lenses and cameras suitable for wildlife photography, catering to both amateurs and professionals. Equipped with unique features such as auto focus, sensor size, frame rate and weather sealing these top tier lenses and mirrorless cameras are designed for wildlife photographers experience with the wild.

Judging the entries was a luminary panel of the jury that comprised of seasoned professionals, including “Mr. Shaaz Jung – aka big cat specialist, Nikon Z Ambassador, Director of Photography for the National Geographic feature film titled “The Real Black Panther”, and Ms. Latika Nath, also known as ‘The Tiger Princess of India’, a renowned Wildlife photographer, Wildlife conservationist, and Nikon Creator. Completing the esteemed panel was Mr. Kallol Mukherjee, a distinguished Nikon creator and acclaimed wildlife photographer with multiple awards to his credit.

The winners were selected post a stringent and meticulous evaluation process judged by the distinguished jury panel and through live voting. The top three winners received prizes worth Rs. 8 lakhs in recognition of their exceptional skills and talent. The winner of the contest Mr. Abhinandan Sharma from Haryana won a powerful and versatile mirrorless camera, Nikon Z 8 worth INR 3,43,995/- as a grand prize. The first runner-up Mr. Sadanand Koppalkar from Pune received the NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S lens worth INR 2,93,995/- and the second runner-up Mr. Tanmoy Das Karmakar from Kolkata took home the NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens worth INR 1,69,995/-. Furthermore, the top ten entries were awarded exclusive WWF-India Nature Store Merchandise.

Cheering the winners Mr. Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India Private Limited, said “With our first ever contest we have tried to bring People and the Planet together. We are delighted to congratulate the winners of the ‘Wonders of the Wild’ contest and commend all participants for their passion and dedication towards wildlife. We offer our heartfelt thanks to all the participants, judges, and our esteemed partners for making the first season of this contest a resounding success. Through this collaboration with WWF-India, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and inspire people to protect our planet for the upcoming generations.”

Building upon the success of the first season, and further leveraging the achievements of the ‘Wonders of the Wild’ Contest, Nikon India is poised to continue its efforts to champion wildlife conservation. Nikon India’s commitment extends beyond mere photography and videography and encompasses a dedicated effort to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the natural heritage. The aim remains to foster a greater appreciation for the natural world by capturing the “real in reel”. Together let’s capture the beauty of wildlife with Nikon camera and lens.