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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Valmik Thapar: Tiger Man who gave his everything to wildlife
Tigers burned bright for Valmik Thapar, who passed away after losing his fight against cancer at the age of 73 on Saturday. For many people of a certain vintage, Thapar arrived in their drawing rooms near the end of the 20th century with his infectious energy and a rich drawl promising a "journey you will never forget". Mellifluous Ta da ri na played as the title rolled up — Land of the Tiger. The six-part BBC series would go on to transmit his passion for these "superb animals" to the world. It was a passion that had been ignited in the 1970s at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Thapar had gone there, on a whim, at the age of "23-24". But when the "romantic" chanced upon tigers in that setting, the flames of love were lit. Fateh Singh Rathore, the legendary former field director of the reserve, played a big role in nursing the affair along in the early days. Such was the magic that young Thapar, who had no experience with tigers or wildlife, never really came back from the place he would call "home" later. In fact, on my frequent visits to the place, I used to encounter him — either alone or in the company of Fateh Singh Rathore. Thapar would go on to succeed magnificently where it mattered: he made tigers popular among the masses. Through numerous books and films on wildlife, he helped the big cat to regain its lost glory. In a way, through them, he mobilised public support for the tigers. Even the titles of Thapar's books reflect his undying love for tigers. The Secret Life of Tigers, The Tiger's Destiny, Living With Tigers, and many more. In all, he wrote over twenty-five books — Tiger Fire: 500 Years of the Tigers in India was another — and made many documentary films, all of which will remain as vivid testaments. Famous dissenter The 'Tiger Man' of India, as he was often hailed, never shied away from taking pointed, non-conformist stands on issues concerning India's wildlife management. It did not matter whether the final analysis proved him right or wrong, he would not budge from his stated position. Recently, Thapar was among the first to put his foot down on the Central Government's ambitious programme to bring African cheetahs to India. "The project is doomed to fail; take it from me, cheetahs will not survive on Indian soil," he stressed repeatedly. Till the end, he remained a man of strong beliefs and did not mind crossing swords with authorities and fellow wildlife experts. Another interesting case in point was the Tiger Task Force, set up by the UPA Government in 2005, in the aftermath of Sariska Tiger Reserve losing all of its tigers to poachers. It was the first national park in India to attain this dubious distinction. One of the briefs of the taskforce was to suggest effective wildlife management in India's reserves to prevent a Sariska-like fiasco. Chaired by well-known environmentalist Sunita Narain, the committee in its final report suggested forging a stronger rapport between humans and wildlife in the forest areas. Thapar famously struck a dissenting note, scoffing at the taskforce's suggestion and dismissing it as "too optimistic". He instead advocated making certain areas of the forest sacrosanct for tigers and other wildlife, with no human interference. Be that as it may, even the most strident critics of Valmik Thapar swore by his undying passion for the Tigers. In that respect, he reminds me of another Tiger Man, and one no less important: Billy Arjan Singh. Billy's legendary association with Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa Tiger Reserve finds an echo in Thapar's fascination with Ranthambore. The two of them had several things in common. Neither had any field experience, nor scientific training of any kind. Both courted controversies gleefully, but their imagination was fired by their passion for forests and wildlife. Both gave their everything to wildlife. It will always remain their abiding legacy. (Ajay Suri is a writer, photographer, documentary film-maker. He is also a journalist who won the Ramnath Goenka award for excellence in environment reporting.)
The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘Tiger man' Valmik Thapar took train to Ranthambore in his 20s on a whim. It changed his life
Condolences poured in from all quarters for the 'Tiger Man'—a name he rightfully earned. His fight to protect India's big cats continued till the end. Thapar breathed his last at the age of 73 early Saturday. He passed away at his house on Kautilya Marg in Delhi after a battle with cancer. New Delhi: From tying a buffalo to a tree to observe the hunting behaviour of Ranthambore National Park's famous resident tigress Padmini and her cubs, to taking on his own colleague in the Tiger Task Force in the pursuit of prevention of poaching in Sariska, conservationist and author Valmik Thapar dedicated over four decades of his life to shaping India's tiger conservation programme. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Thapar's death was a 'great loss'. 'Today's Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal. He was uncommonly knowledgeable on a variety of issues relating to biodiversity, and not a day passed during my Ministerial tenure without our talking to each other—with me almost always at the receiving end,' Ramesh wrote in an X post. The former environment minister said that during his tenure as chairman of the standing committee, Thapar was a constant source of valuable suggestions and advice. 'We had arguments, but it was always an education to listen to him, full of passion and concern. He was truly an unforgettable one-of-a-kind,' he added. Also Read: MR Srinivasan led India's nuclear energy programme, but wanted a world free of nuclear weapons Thapar's life and work In the early 1970s, hunting tigers was a popular sport at Ranthambore. It was around then that Thapar, who was then in his 20s battling personal crises, decided to leave everything behind. He caught a train to Ranthambore, and this whim, he said, 'changed his life'. 'I didn't know anything about tigers then. But I fell in love with the beauty of the place,' Thapar said in the opening of a BBC documentary in 2024. He said that upon his arrival at Ranthambore, with the help of the park director and another pioneer in tiger conservation, Fateh Singh Rathore, he spotted his first tiger in the park. They named her Padmini. And that is how his journey began. Apart from being an astute conservationist, Thapar was also a celebrated filmmaker and author, who penned around 32 books, including Land of the Tigers—A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent, Living with Tigers and The Secret Life of Tigers. He also served in over 150 committees for tiger conservation at both the Centre and state levels. In 2005, Thapar was appointed as a member of the Tiger Task Force to look into the poaching of tigers at the Sariska Tiger Reserve. After the committee, led by environmentalist Sunita Narain, presented its report, Thapar wrote a dissent note, claiming that the task force was misrepresenting the ground realities. He asserted that tiger reserves needed dedicated zones, where human interference would not be allowed. While he was known mainly for his work around tiger conservation, he also extensively worked on wildlife conservation at large. He was very vocally critical of the Narendra Modi government's Project Cheetah, stressing that India's weather, prey-base and terrain were not cheetah-friendly. According to conservation biologist Neha Singh, Thapar was a 'fearless advocate for the tigers'. 'He was the international voice of Indian tigers for many many years,' she said. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: Indian astrophysics giant Jayant Vishnu Narlikar reshaped our relationship with the sky
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Veteran tiger conservationist, author Valmik Thapar passes away in Delhi
Renowned tiger conservationist and author passed away in Delhi on Saturday morning. A central figure in India's wildlife conservation movement since the mid-1970s, Thapar was known for his decades-long work in protecting tigers and had served on more than 150 central and state government panels, Hindustan Times reported. According to the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, most of Thapar's fieldwork was centred in Rajasthan, though he also played a pivotal role in the revival of other key reserves, notably Maharashtra's Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. A vocal advocate of responsible tourism, Thapar challenged the belief that all forms of tourism harm wildlife. He supported innovative approaches that foster collaboration between communities, scientists, forest staff, bureaucrats and the media to create sustainable conservation models. Thapar authored 32 books over his lifetime, including four on African wildlife. His notable works include Living With Tigers and The Secret Life of Tigers. Thapar also inspired a whole generation of conservationists and students. Tributes pour in for veteran tiger conservationist Thapar Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh described Valmik Thapar as a towering figure in wildlife conservation, particularly tiger protection, over the past four decades. Calling his passing a significant loss on social media platform X, Ramesh said today's thriving Ranthambore is a reflection of Thapar's tireless dedication and deep commitment. Valmik Thapar, a legendary figure in the world of conservation over the past four decades - especially tigers - has just passed away. It is a great loss. Today's Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal. He was uncommonly… — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 31, 2025 He added that Thapar had an exceptional grasp of biodiversity issues and was a regular voice in policy discussions. 'Not a single day went by during my ministerial tenure without us speaking and more often than not, I was at the receiving end,' Ramesh said. He also recalled their frequent exchanges when he chaired the parliamentary standing committee, noting that while they often debated, Thapar's insights were always rich with passion and concern. Taking to social media, Koustubh Sharma, conservation science director at the Snow Leopard Trust, said, 'Valmik, it's hard to believe you're gone.' He remembered first encountering Thapar in 1993 as a high school student, deeply moved by his compelling talk on tiger conservation. He further recalled, 'Years later, I was genuinely surprised to get a call from your deep voice, asking me to be in Delhi in March 2008 to receive the Carl Zeiss Award for Nature Conservation.' Sharma added, 'That you recommended me to a recent university graduate for my first conservation award said so much about your generosity and faith in others.' He said he treasured the long hours spent helping Thapar craft impactful presentations. 'Working with you over the years taught me a great deal about how to make a message resonate,' Sharma said, fondly recalling a lighter moment: 'One of my favourite memories is you calling in a panic, convinced you had 'bacteria or whatever it is' in your computer and asking me to fix it!' Rest in Peace, Valmik Thapar, the international voice of Indian tigers for many many years. As a tribute to him, do read the many books he penned on tigers: 'Tiger Fire', 'Living with Tigers' and others. — Neha Sinha (@nehaa_sinha) May 31, 2025 Conservation biologist Neha Sinha said, 'Valmik was a fearless champion for the tiger, raising awareness of India's tiger conservation challenges on a global stage. As a keen student of tiger behaviour, his numerous books offered valuable insights into their habits and nature. He skilfully blended academic research with passionate advocacy at a time when India's conservation movement was still in its infancy. He will be remembered as the voice for a creature that cannot speak for itself.'
