Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar – Overview The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar aims to showcase best practices that enhance India’s capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the award is conferred in two categories – Individual (scroll and medal) and Institution (scroll and plaque). Key Developments Nomination window remains open throughout the year, allowing continuous identification of meritorious candidates. Applications are to be submitted exclusively via the National Awards Portal (https://awards.gov.in). Both self‑nominations and third‑party nominations are permissible, widening participation. Eligibility extends to Indian citizens, institutions, NGOs, research bodies, private sector firms, and government entities at national, state and district levels. Important Facts The award recognises contributions across the entire disaster management cycle, including: Disaster Management activities such as prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Innovation in early warning systems and community awareness programmes. Research and capacity‑building initiatives undertaken by academic and research institutions. Effective collaboration between NGOs , civil society and government agencies. Mitigation measures that reduce vulnerability, such as flood‑plain zoning, seismic retrofitting and ecosystem‑based approaches ( mitigation ). UPSC Relevance Understanding this award helps aspirants in several ways: It illustrates how the Indian government operationalises its Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the National Disaster Management Framework. Shows the role of multi‑stakeholder participation – a recurring theme in GS2 (Polity) and GS3 (Environment) papers. Highlights the importance of innovation and research in disaster risk reduction, linking to GS3 topics on climate change and sustainable development. Provides concrete examples for answer writing on governance, public‑private partnership and community‑based disaster resilience. Way Forward To strengthen the impact of the Puraskar , the following steps are recommended: Enhance visibility of awardees through case‑study dissemination in academic curricula and training modules. Integrate award‑winning practices into state‑level disaster management plans, ensuring scalability. Encourage greater participation from the private sector and research institutions by offering incentives for innovative solutions. Leverage digital tools on the National Awards Portal to provide feedback and mentorship to nominees. By recognising and propagating exemplary work, the award not only honours individual and institutional excellence but also builds a culture of resilience essential for India’s sustainable development.