Who won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, often called the Green Nobel, in 2014 for his work on environmental justice in India?

Introduction / Context:
This question is from environment and awards. The Goldman Environmental Prize is one of the world's most respected grassroots environmental awards and is sometimes informally called the Green Nobel. Each year, it honours activists from different regions. In 2014, an Indian activist was among the winners for his work in environmental justice and community rights.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The award is the Goldman Environmental Prize.
• It is nicknamed the Green Nobel.
• The year in focus is 2014.
• The person is linked with environmental justice work in India.

Concept / Approach:
In 2014, Ramesh Agrawal, an activist from India, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts to help local communities oppose environmentally harmful industrial projects, particularly coal mining and power plants. He used information laws, public hearings and legal channels to support villagers. Other famous Indian environmental activists such as Vandana Shiva, Medha Patkar and Sunita Narain have made significant contributions but did not receive the Goldman Prize in that specific year, while Wangari Maathai from Kenya received it earlier, in a different period and context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the year 2014 and the connection to India. Step 2: Recall that Ramesh Agrawal was honoured for leading campaigns against unsustainable industrial projects in Chhattisgarh and for defending the rights of local communities. Step 3: Connect his work with the Goldman Environmental Prize description of grassroots activism and environmental justice. Step 4: Recognise that Vandana Shiva, Medha Patkar and Sunita Narain are prominent activists but were not the 2014 Goldman Prize awardee. Step 5: Note that Wangari Maathai from Kenya received the prize earlier and is not the Indian winner referenced in this question. Step 6: Conclude that the correct choice is Ramesh Agrawal.

Verification / Alternative check:
The official Goldman Environmental Prize website and contemporary news reports from 2014 list Ramesh Agrawal as the recipient from Asia. They describe how he used legal tools and advocacy to challenge unregulated coal mining and power projects that threatened forests and local livelihoods. These accounts match the description given in the question, confirming his identity as the award winner.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Vandana Shiva is known for her work on biodiversity, seed sovereignty and sustainable agriculture, but she was not the Goldman Prize recipient in 2014. Medha Patkar is a leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and a strong voice for displaced communities, yet she did not receive this particular award in that year. Sunita Narain is an environmentalist and policy advocate associated with the Centre for Science and Environment, but she is not the person referred to in the 2014 Goldman Prize citation. Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who received the Goldman Prize earlier; she is not the Indian winner mentioned here.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is to select any well known environmental activist without paying attention to the specific combination of award name, year and country. Another mistake is to confuse the Goldman Environmental Prize with the Nobel Peace Prize or other environmental honours. Linking the 2014 Green Nobel nickname with Ramesh Agrawal's campaign in India helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
The 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize, often called the Green Nobel, was awarded to Indian activist Ramesh Agrawal.