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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Valmik Thapar walked with tigers, now he rests
JAIPUR: Valmik Thapar was 24 - fresh out of St Stephen's with a gold medal in sociology and an old boy from The Doon School. He stood at a crossroads. Life had questions, but no answers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Then the jungle found him. In Ranthambhore, 1976, he met Fateh Singh Rathore - the national park's legendary field director. "Once you've looked into the eyes of a wild tiger," Thapar would later write, "you're never the same." That encounter didn't just chart a career spanning 50 years, it ignited a cause that would redefine tiger conservation in India. On Saturday morning, a pall of silence fell across Ranthambhore's forests. Thapar, 73, died at his Delhi home after a prolonged battle with cancer. More than just a conservationist, Thapar was a man who walked with tigers - and also an author, documentarian, policy adviser and activist. Valmik Thapar was tiger's most tireless advocate But to many, Valmik Thapar was the tiger's most tireless advocate. His relationship with Rathore, bloomed into a decades-long partnership that not only saved Ranthambhore's tigers from vanishing but also seeded a national movement for big cat protection. "I met Valmik as a 10-year-old in 1976," said Goverdhan Singh Rathore, son of Fateh Singh. "He was going through a difficult time and came to Ranthambhore seeking peace." "That meeting with my father led to a friendship that lasted a lifetime. Both led a long-running crusade to save Ranthambhore and its tigers," he added. In 1987, Thapar founded Ranthambhore Foundation - one of the first efforts in India to integrate conservation with community uplift. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Villages ringing the park became part of the mission. Healthcare, education, women's employment and traditional crafts were woven into a model that linked forest protection to human well-being. NGOs like Dastkar joined the effort, showing conservation didn't need to be a choice between people and animals. Dharmendra Khandal, a close associate and conservation biologist, recalled time in the field with reverence. "With Valmik sir, it was not just a safari; it was a masterclass in the wild. His energy at 70 was unmatched. Even between safaris, he wouldn't rest - he would invite me home for long, intense conversations about Ranthambhore's future." Thapar authored nearly 50 books, narrated documentaries including Land of the Tiger for BBC, and served on over 150 committees, including National Board for Wildlife. He was unafraid to call out missteps in govt policy, yet managed to win trust across political and bureaucratic divides. "He was fearless. Today, he has laid down his armour and gone to eternal rest," said Balendu Singh, former honorary warden of Ranthambhore. To those who worked with him, Thapar was a visionary mentor - sharp, driven, and unyielding. "His booming voice will echo through the valleys of Ranthambhore forever," said Goverdhan Singh. Even in his final days, Thapar was deep into writing a two-volume chronicle marking 50 years of Ranthambhore. Wildlife filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu, who chronicled India's tigers for global audiences, perhaps captured Thapar's impact best. "He was the voice through which India's tigers first spoke to the world. Long before streaming platforms and social media, he gave the tiger a language that was poetic, political and proudly Indian. The tiger may have lost a voice, but for those who read his words, watched his films, and walked the trails he once did, that voice still echoes. " Thapar leaves behind his wife Sanjana Kapoor, daughter of actor Shashi Kapoor, and a life spent tracking pawprints through history.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Top boarding schools allow parents to take students home earlier than scheduled
Representative image DEHRADUN/MUSSOORIE: Amid escalating India-Pakistan tension , prominent residential schools in Dehradun like The Doon School as well as Welham Boys' and Welham Girls' have permitted students to go back home earlier than the scheduled summer break. Mussoorie's Woodstock School has given a similar option to parents. In an email to parents late on Thursday, The Doon School headmaster Jagpreet Singh, citing "several requests from parents who wanted to get their sons home, in view of possible flight disruptions", said that the school had decided to allow students who wish to leave, to depart from campus starting 6am on Friday (May 9). Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list For those who preferred their sons to remain at school until the end of term, Singh said that "the school will continue to function and facilities will remain operational." In a similar move, Welham Boys' and Welham Girls' sent out a communication saying that "parents who wished to take their wards home could do so." "As a precautionary measure, parents were sent emails that if they wished to take students back home early, they were free to do so, though we have kept the schools open until May 17. Almost all students have left, and the rest will leave soon," said a spokesperson.
The Print
09-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, Dehradun's Doon & Welham schools allow students to return home
In an email to parents Thursday evening, Doon School Headmaster Jagpreet Singh informed that while they 'continue to be safe and secure on campus', the school had received requests from several parents wishing to bring their sons home, anticipating possible disruptions to flight services. Multiple explosions were reported in parts of Jammu Thursday evening as Pakistan launched an aerial attack, using at least four loitering munitions, prompting several states and UTs, including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, to announce closure of schools, colleges and universities for the coming days. New Delhi: With the tensions between India and Pakistan escalating, top boarding schools in Dehradun, including The Doon School and Welham Girls' School, have allowed students to return home after receiving multiple requests from concerned parents. 'As a result, the School has decided to permit all boys whose parents wish to have them back home, to depart from campus starting at 6.00 am on Friday, May 9,' he wrote, advising parents opting for the arrangement to get in touch with their children's housemaster. Singh further said that parents within driving distance of Dehradun could plan to collect their children by road. For others, the school will provide transportation and escorts to both Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun and IGI Airport in New Delhi. 'School will also organise transport to Delhi, for those who wish to pick up their boys in Delhi,' he added, saying that full travel details would follow soon. The headmaster also reassured parents, who preferred their sons to remain at school until the end of term: 'The School will continue to function, and all our facilities will remain operational.' He emphasised that students taking IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme) and IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams will continue without disruption, and that provisions would be in place for boys who might be stranded due to flight cancellations. 'Be assured that the entire staff, both teaching and administration, is working round the clock to ensure that your sons are safe and well taken care of,' Singh said, adding that the school is in close contact with central and state authorities for updates and guidance. 'The city of Dehradun remains safe and secure and continues to function in a normal and calm manner. All essential utilities are available.' Similarly, the principal of Welham Girls' School, Vibha Kapoor, emailed parents late Thursday, offering them the option to pick up their daughters immediately, in response to growing concerns over the tense situation at the border. 'Over the past few days, we have received several requests from concerned parents wishing to pick up their daughters from school. In light of these concerns and the escalating situation at the borders, the school is offering parents the option to collect their wards with immediate effect, should they choose to do so,' Kapoor wrote. She also clarified that the school would remain open and continue normal operations until 17 May, the scheduled start of the summer break. 'Parents are kindly requested to inform their respective House Mistresses of the date and time they plan to pick up their wards,' she added. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: Pakistan targets Jammu with loitering munitions, airport and vital installations targeted
