|
Late Sh. Kailash Sankhala, widely known as Tiger Man of India, was the first conservationist who raised a voice in favor of protecting the tiger as early as 1956. He spread the message to help tigers from the brink of extinction in an age when hunting tigers was practiced.
Kailash Sankhala carried this mission throughout his life, even at the risk of his professional career and death threats. Kailash Sankhala conducted an extensive study on tigers under the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship during a time when the tiger population was dwindling at an alarming rate due to poaching and hunting. His research lead into the launch of Project Tiger in 1973.
He won many awards for his efforts, including the National Honor of Padamshri in 1992. In 1989, he established the Tiger Trust to continue his commitment to tiger conservation. He died on August 15, 1994 in Jaipur.
In honour of Kailash Sankhala's inspiration for work in the field of conservation, the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Wildlife have constituted a Kailash Sankhala Fellowship for conservation efforts on behalf of Indian animals. The Fellowship consists of work for two years and is awarded once every two years.
|