New Delhi: SAGG Eco Village Kashmir has brought home international recognition after winning the Silver Award at the ICRT Indian Subcontinent Responsible Tourism Awards 2025, held at the BLTM in New Delhi.
The eco-village, founded by Fayaz Ahmad Dar in Ganderbal, was honoured for its pioneering role in climate action — becoming the first initiative from Kashmir to achieve this distinction on an international platform.
Billed as Jammu & Kashmir’s first regenerative eco-village enterprise, SAGG blends farm stays, ecological entrepreneurship and community-based tourism. Established on once-barren land, the project demonstrates how fragile geographies can be restored into thriving sustainable ecosystems rooted in ecology, culture and community.
The ICRT Awards recognise tourism initiatives across South Asia that exemplify responsibility, inclusivity and innovation. SAGG Eco Village stood out for its regenerative practices, contribution to the local economy and climate resilience — showing how enterprise and tourism, when responsibly designed, can restore land and empower local communities.
Accepting the award, founder Fayaz Ahmad Dar said:
“Tourism is not about consuming places — it’s about regenerating land, livelihoods and lives. Every guest who walks through our orchards, eats from our soil, or stays in our cottages becomes part of this regenerative journey. This award is not just for us — it belongs to the land and people of Kashmir, whose resilience and wisdom make such work possible.”
The recognition reaffirms SAGG Eco Village’s role as a model of responsible tourism and ecological entrepreneurship in Kashmir, and as part of the global movement for regenerative futures.
