Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra becomes India's first Dark Sky Park within a tiger reserve for protecting the night sky and preventing light pollution. The Pench Tiger Reserve earmarks areas around the park that restricts lights for star-gazers to access pristine dark skies and makes the facility ideal not only for astronomy students but tourists too. 

Dark Sky Place certification focuses on lighting policy, dark sky-friendly retrofits, outreach and education, and monitoring the night sky. Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) became fifth such park in Asia. The certification was given by International Dark Sky Association, a global movement to promote astronomy.