Act for Mahseer
Tata Power
Media Relations | Social Impact | Sustainability
From as early as 1975, Tata Power identified, empathized and took over a cause for a species that was on a steady decline, the Mahseer—a freshwater fish, which is popular the world over for being an outstanding game fish.
THE CHALLENGE
Once found in abundance in the Himalayan Rivers, the Mahseer’s population had dropped by nearly 50%, driven by habitat loss, poaching, and indiscriminate fishing. Despite its global reputation as a game fish, awareness of its ecological significance remained limited. Recognising the urgency, Tata Power established a hatchery in Maharashtra to breed the Mahseer and distribute its fingerlings to other parts of the country.
THE EXECUTION
In 2015, the ‘Act for Mahseer’ campaign was conceptualized to highlight Tata Power’s commitment to save the mighty fish, encourage participation and engagement of key stakeholders and augment the conservation agenda. Besides building public empathy for saving Mahseer, we had to position Tata Power as an eco-friendly company that undertakes green initiatives that go above and beyond its CSR mandate.
THE OUTCOME
Tata Power was named as India’s second biggest company for CSR and sustainability program, with over 180 print media stories in CAT A publications and magazines across the country. Hundreds of people signed the pledge to save the Mahseer on the campaign’s microsite.