A legendary veteran of Corbett, he gave us valuable inputs on conservation of the Ramganga  River and on its monarc the Golden Mahseer and ethical ways of fishing. Brijender Singh, or just Brij has been the Honorary Warden of Corbett Tiger Reserve since 1982. He was recently awarded the Esso Award. The award recognizes the efforts of an individual or an organization for bravery, valor and lifetime dedicated to Tiger Conservation. Popularly known as Raja sahib he belongs to the royalty of Dada Siba in Himachal Pradesh and Kapurthala. Influenced by the well known hunter Colonel ANW Powell (Author...

Krishnendu recently got the highest award in conservation filmmaking in India- the CMS-UNEP Prithvi Ratna Award, in Oct 2009. The citation said “for his sustained and concerted efforts towards enhancing people’s understanding and spreading awareness on diverse environmental issues through films and documentaries ” Krishnendu makes wildlife and conservation films that highlight the problem no matter how non glossy they might be something we are not used to see. After acquiring a Masters degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics (1985), he went independent, making documentaries on...

Sanjay was born and brought up in the eastern periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve at village Dhikuli. He is a fine embodiment of local sentiments and scientific point of view regarding wildlife conservation. A bachelor of Science and Post Graduation Diploma holder in Journalism & Mass Communication and Information Systems Management, this young man has declined numerous lucrative posts in the cities for his love for the forest. He went to Oman but headed back in 17 days.  Sanjay attended one week long course conducted by National Institute Animal Welfare (NIAW), Faridabad, Haryana in 2006....

Vishal is a wildlife photographer and enthusiast. To begin lets piece out a page from his memory. He was in 5th grade, out on a school camping trip with his hostel friends. The village that surrounded them was probably the only from where the other villagers came to fetch water, along with the villagers the water hole was shared by wild animals too. The animals were seldom chased away if they found footings through the village inhabiting the water source. The 3 nights that they housed there each morning he would awaken to find himself wanting to walk across to the small lake and he did. Keeping...

Sunith’s tryst with the jungles started when he moved to Bangalore which had its share of wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists. One of his friends first took him to Bandipur and it was love at first sight. He just felt at home and totally in love with the jungles. But his fascination went beyond that of a regular tourist after he spent a day on the machan in Nagarhole. It was just beautiful observing the creatures go about their life, unknowingly maintaining the balance. He began appreciating the smaller creatures after this visit. After that the jungles of south India were like a second...

When Vulture programme in the Corbett area was taking off Kostubh Sharma was the first to come forward with help. Koustubh had a keen interest in wildlife since school days and the city of Bhopal, where he grew, provided ample opportunities to nurture his interests in bird watching and wildlife. Academically inclined towards mathematical sciences, he did his Masters in Physics from the University of Bhopal. It was during this period that he also conducted a small study on the avian fauna of Bhopal, and developed his first stand-alone software to help identify birds. This led to his association...

Wildlife photographers, film-makers, this naturalists couple  have adopted Corbett Tiger Reserve as their main area of work since 2004. During this period, they have worked with the park authorities to promote healthy tourism in Corbett National Park through the medium of short films and their photographs. Their film – Wild Saga of Corbett – is the most comprehensive travelogue on Corbett and showcases how tourists can come better prepared for their visits to Corbett and thus help in conservation efforts of the people of Ramnagar and the forest department. The film – marketed...

Hanuman and Ram Ram Leelas are one of the most celebrated festivals in the Hindu religion. The format is for every town and village to hold their own Ram Leelas re-enacting the Ramayana – the story of Rama – over 10 consecutive days, telling each “chapter” of the story on the different days. The general overview of the Ramayana is that after Rama, Lakshman and Sita are exiled into the forest Sita is kidnapped by the king of Lanka, Ravana. With the help of the monkey army led by Hanuman and also some vultures who have seen Ravana taking Sita, Rama and Lakshman begin their epic voyage...

During my time here in Corbett the last few months I have witnessed the challenges of conservation in India and this region in particular, many incidents have happened which have saddened the heart and brought despair to me but yesterday an event of such magnitude occurred that I can once again see the light at the end of the tunnel for conservation in India.  India is not just home to the Tiger but to some of the most majestic animals that roam this earth each possessing a quality that stands them head and shoulders above the rest. In this time of rising Man-animal conflict it is hard to see...