In the heart of Kalahandi’s forests, “Jungle Master Training of Youths” started in month of November 2025 and goes till April 2026 across 50 villages in seven blocks of the district, creating a living bridge between generations. Through this unique community-led initiative, elders and traditional forest knowledge holders guided young people inside the forests, sharing Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) related to biodiversity, medicinal plants, sustainable forest use, wildlife, and cultural conservation practices. The programme not only strengthened youth leadership and community stewardship of forests but also ensured that centuries-old ecological wisdom is preserved and carried forward for future generations. By nurturing local custodians of nature, this initiative contributes towards sustainable forest governance and long-term environmental protection rooted in community traditions. This training initiative creates awareness among rural youth about their collective rights and responsibilities under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 while nurturing local leadership for long-term forest conservation. By empowering village youth as future custodians of the forest, this initiative is helping build a stronger foundation for community-led conservation and intergenerational ecological stewardship in Kalahandi district.