Indraloka Founder Indra Lahiri Receives Carole Noon Award

In the worldwide animal sanctuary field, there is no honor more distinguished than the Carole Noon Award given by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). The award recognizes the “individual who embodies and puts into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care at sanctuaries.“ This year’s recipient, Indra Lahiri, PhD, is the founder of Indraloka in Dalton, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lahiri has successfully launched and grown Indraloka into one of the leading farmed animal sanctuaries globally. Under her leadership, the sanctuary has rescued over 2,500 animals and established groundbreaking initiatives that have notably influenced the field of animal rescue and sanctuary management. She also spearheaded the creation of the NEPA Rescue Veterinary Clinic which provides low-cost care to local animal rescues and income-qualified households in the NEPA community and assists communities with Trap, Neuter & Release programs to help manage feral cat populations. Another innovative program Dr. Lahiri created, “Indraloka Heals,” launched this summer with its “Resilient Counselors Mastery Series” that provided support and resources to Scranton-area school guidance counselors.

“I am humbled and grateful, however, I cannot take credit for this award. The entire Indraloka team works so hard every day, pouring love and energy into whomever needs it most — each one is really deserving of this honor,” Dr. Lahiri says. “This award is also a testament to our community and the support we receive from individuals, businesses, visitors, and volunteers.”

GFAS is the worldwide leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farmed animals, and others.

“I feel privileged to be on Indra’s board of directors,” says Olympic medalist (Cycling, London 2012) Dotsie Bausch. “Indra is unparalleled in her dedication to saving the lives of the voiceless and with her rigorous work ethic and the restorative hope she carries, she will always serve as a true champion of compassion to those who need her most. No one deserves this honor more than my friend and one of my mentors, Indra Lahiri.”

As Indraloka prepares for its biggest fundraiser of the year — ThanksLiving, a feast honoring birds — the sanctuary hopes to get the word out that Indraloka is much more than an animal sanctuary. It is a place of hope, healing, fun, and community for people too.

Dr. Lahiri is available for interviews.