Thapar earned his stripes as a young man in the Ranthambore forest and became one of the foremost wildlife conservation experts
The tiger could not have asked for a better champion than Valmik Thapar, whose passing at the age of 73 on Saturday is being mourned by conservationists and tiger activists. Thapar earned his stripes as a young man in the Ranthambore forest and became one of the foremost wildlife conservation experts. He was an inspiration to countless people who took up the cause of the tiger and the forests of India. Thapar served on several government panels, 150 at last count, including the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court on environmental issues.
Although closely associated with Ranthambore, his influence extended far, as evident in the work that led to the revival of the Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra. One not known to mince words, or hold back on his suggestions or opinions, Thapar was one of the strong voices against the introduction of the cheetah in Kuno. Thapar also presented a dissent note to the UPA-era Tiger Task Force report on the disappearance of the big cats from the Sariska tiger reserve, saying it was overly optimistic about the coexistence of tigers and humans.
Thapar was among the early proponents of the engagement of communities around protected areas as partners in conservation. His NGO, Ranthambhore Foundation, has worked with people in about 100 villages around the Ranthambore tiger reserve. He pushed for tougher anti-poaching rules and efforts to protect tiger habitats. Thapar was a supporter of creating an exclusive space for tigers — a minimum area that should be managed in its natural form.
For all the time he spent on various committees, Thapar's first love was always the wild, especially Ranthambore. He was the author of several books and presented a number of documentary films. The booming voice, spoken gently, was the one everyone heard when the documentary, The Land of The Tiger, was aired on television many years ago. Today, the land of the tiger is poorer by his passing.
