Taking a major step towards enhancing wildlife crime prevention, the Karnataka Forest Department, in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and with support from NTT DATA, a leading provider of digital business and IT services, officially launched the ‘Peregrine’ module of the HAWK (Hostile Activity Watch Kernel) software, also known as “Garudakshi.” The launch event, held on 7 January 2025 at Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru was presided over by Shri Eshwar B Khandre, Hon’ble Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment.
NTT DATA’s collaboration with WTI began in 2022 with the development of the HAWK system, a specialized software aimed at modernizing the Karnataka Forest Department’s approach to forest and wildlife crime management. The first module, Kestrel,’ of Garudakshi, was introduced the same year with financial backing from NTT DATA, marking a major milestone in digitizing the state’s offence management. The Kestrel Module consolidates details of all pending cases across Karnataka, providing officials with a centralized platform to monitor case progress and tackle backlogs effectively. This streamlined data access empowers the department with timely insights to expedite decision-making and reduce case pendency.
Building on this digital transformation, the department has now launched the ‘Peregrine’ Module, a comprehensive tool for managing wildlife crimes. This advanced module covers the entire lifecycle of crime management—from initial reporting to final court verdicts—and includes features for generating essential case documentation. Designed to make offence management entirely paperless, Peregrine minimizes documentation errors through guided dropdowns and clear instructions, enhancing both accuracy and efficiency in case handling.
To ensure successful adoption, the Wildlife Trust of India, with NTT DATA’s support, has conducted eight training sessions, training close to 1,000 Karnataka Forest Department officers on the Kestrel Module. These sessions provide hands-on guidance, equipping officers to maximize the potential of Garudakshi for enhanced field effectiveness.
The Karnataka Forest Department’s ongoing digital transformation reflects its commitment to creating a robust framework for protecting the state’s invaluable wildlife and forest resources. The launch of the Peregrine Module marks a new chapter in this mission, advancing accountability, precision, and speed in wildlife crime management across Karnataka.
Shri Eshwar B Khandre, Hon’ble Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment said, “The Forest Department must modernize to address contemporary challenges. In association with the Wildlife Trust of India, the Information Communication Technology Wing of the Karnataka Forest Department has developed this Garudakshi (HAWK) software to streamline the management of forest and wildlife cases. This initiative will enable senior officials to monitor cases more effectively and marks a new beginning in offence management within the department. With this software, we aim to take a significant step toward preventing forest crimes.”
Commenting on the occasion, Jose Louies, CEO, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) said, “A centralised system to monitor and manage wildlife crime will help the state forest department in many ways as it will be transparent, timesaving and also will increase the efficiency of response. We are extremely happy to partner with the Karnataka state government to launch the HAWK system, a major step in digitising wildlife offence management. Our sincere thanks go to NTT DATA for their invaluable support in making this visionary initiative a reality.”
Gauri Bahulkar, Senior Director, Global Corporate Social Responsibility, NTT DATA Services, said, “We are honoured to partner with the Wildlife Trust of India to support the Forest Department’s transformative shift from paper-based to digital reporting. This initiative exemplifies how technology can be leveraged to drive meaningful societal impact in a rapidly evolving world. At NTT DATA, our goal is to use technology to foster sustainable change. We hope to enable this digital transformation across more states in India, streamlining forest operations for frontline teams and enhancing efforts in wildlife and forest conservation.”
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