Renowned Tiger Expert Valmik Thapar Passed Away in Delhi
Wildlife conservation icon Valmik Thapar died at his home in New Delhi on Saturday, marking the end of an era in Indian tiger conservation. At the age of 73, he had devoted his entire life to the protection of India’s majestic big cats. The value of Thapar was that he created a global success story for tiger conservation through Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. He also founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988 and tested conservation methodologies to include communities in a manner that lay at the heart of all conservation work across India.
Read Also: Renowned Kannada Poet HSV Dies at 80 in Bengaluru
His brilliance was demonstrated from early. From The Doon School, he went on to a gold medal in sociology at St Stephen’s. Born into an illustrious family with historian Romila Thapar as his aunt and journalist Karan Thapar as his cousin, conservation came naturally to him.
Literary Legacy and Activism of Valmik Thapar
With over 30 books to his name, the prolific writer penned various wildlife books, including titles like Land of the Tiger and Tiger Fire. His BBC documentary series brought Indian wildlife to global audiences, while his recent 2024 appearance in My Tiger Family showcased five decades of tiger observation. Thapar sat on 150+ government committees and fought strongly for more stringent anti-poaching laws. He was doubtful about Project Cheetah, as he felt India did not possess an appropriate habitat for African cheetahs to be reintroduced therein.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh appreciated him as an invaluable adviser through whose knowledge biodiversity policies were shaped in India during Ramesh’s ministerial career.
Read Also: Who Is Shukla and Why Is He in Quarantine Before Space Travel?
