Bhupen Talukdar: Tough. Uncompromising. Effective. Words that sum up Bhupen Talukdar, defender of the rhino. While rhinos were being systematically wiped out in Manas in the 1990s by international poaching gangs in league with insurrectionists, Talukdar and key colleagues forged themselves into a wall of resistance in Kaziranga. They resurrected the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros here and will forever be remembered for warding off the extinction of this endangered pachyderm.
Bhupen Talukdar is a warrior for nature in every sense of the world. In 26 years of service with the forest department, he has served in virtually every forest of Assam, most notably Orang, Pabitora and, of course, the world famous Kaziranga. Wherever he was posted, rhino populations grew, habitat management improved, and grassland habitats began to regenerate. In the Orang Wildlife Sanctuary in 1990, for instance, the rhino population rose to just under 100 during his tenure, and the anti-poaching measures he instituted resulted in Orang being the only rhino habitat in Assam that had no poaching incident for over a year! When in Kaziranga, in 1995-96, he was involved in 20 skirmishes with armed poachers, who had sworn to eliminate him. Seven poachers were killed in such conflicts and huge caches of arms, ammunition and rhino horns were recovered. He was, ironically, removed from Kaziranga because he upset a politically well-connected foreign tourist by refusing him entry after hours! Currently Assistant Conservator of Forests attached to the office of the Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam, his lifetime of experience now helps in the preparation of project reports for Assam’s sanctuaries and national parks. Bhupen Talukdar is an asset to Assam, to India and
to nature.

Contact details:
Mr. Bhupen Talukdar, c/o Mr. Manju Baruah, Baruah Bhavan, 107, MC Road, Uzanbazaar,
Guwahati 781 001
Tel: 91 0361 2546827

T.Venkatesh: The bane of timber smugglers, Range Officer T. Venkatesh served in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Karnataka for nearly seven years. Soon after taking charge, he apprehended key leaders in the timber mafia and ushered in a methodical approach to record forest offences. This brought down the frequency of violations drastically and raised the morale of his staff. He also instituted new and effective monitoring systems, which brought down the incidence of illegal grazing in the park. By reorganising his staff, establishing anti-poaching camps in his range and improving patrolling frequency, he dramatically changed the ground situation in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The best ‘certificate’ he could ask for was provided by nature, which responded by way of accelerated regeneration of wild species of plants and animals, thanks to excellent fire management measures he introduced in his range. He is presently posted at the Nagarahole National Park, where he continues his excellent work.
Contact details:
T. Venkatesh, RFO, Antharasanthe Range, Nagarahole National Park, Humur, Karnataka 57110

Abdul Rahman Mir: He understands wildlife behaviour and knows what needs to be done to protect forests and animals. He is also willing to risk his life to protect the forests he loves. He is the third generation of his family to have worked in the forests of Dachigam in the Kashmir valley. Having spent 30 years with the J&K Wildlife Department, he has brought an uncommon honesty and diligence to his work, which springs from a love for wild creatures, particularly the endangered hangul deer. His personal integrity and extraordinary courage he attributes to values imparted by his father and to his mentor, Forest Guard Qasim Wani. Rahman’s valour is illustrated through his actions in catching armed poachers and continual patrolling, even in times of political turmoil and adversity. Even when many abandoned their posts as a result of extremist threats, Abdul Rahman remained steadfast. Such dedication to wildlife, even at times of political vacuum is commendable. The survival of the wildlife of India depends largely on people like him. Contact details: Abdul Rehman Mir, c/o Gulam Hassan Mir, Harwan, Srinagar 191 123, J&K

Green Teacher Award

Arvind Chalasani: Trekker, naturalist and conservationist, Arvind Chalasani is the quintessential Green Teacher. He considers it his life’s purpose to inject a respect for the earth in children. His love for the outdoors was nurtured during long nature walks in his native Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Following the dictum that “Nature is the Best Classroom,” he has been the Master-in-charge of Environmental Sciences at the Doon School since April 1998. He has led students on projects to Ladakh, Orissa, Gujarat and Makku-math and undertakes ecological awareness campaigns on a daily basis in Dehradun and its surrounds. Through the Kids for Tigers initiative in Dehradun and Mussoorie, he is in touch with over 75,000 children in 60 schools and has welded the children of Uttaranchal behind the campaign to protect the Rajaji National Park. He was instrumental in gathering over a quarter of a million signatures in support of the restoration of the Chilla-Motichur elephant corridor and is determined to ensure that this fragile habitat is returned to the gentle giants. Interview with Arvind Chalasani, winner of the Sanctuary Green Teacher Award Contact details: Mr. Arvind Chalasani, Doon School, PB No. 36, Dehradun 248001 Tel.: 91-7462-220286

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