Who was Valmik Thapar, known as India's most respected wildlife conservationist?

Valmik Thapar

Valmik Thapar, one of India’s most respected wildlife conservationists and authors, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 73. He had been battling cancer.

Thapar devoted his life to the protection of wild tigers, with a special focus on Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park.

Early life

Born in 1952, Thapar was the son of journalist Romesh Thapar, nephew of historian Romila Thapar, and cousin to journalist Karan Thapar.

He studied at The Doon School and later graduated with a gold medal in sociology from St Stephen’s College, Delhi University. He was married to Sanjana Kapoor, daughter of actor Shashi Kapoor, and they had a son together.

What was his contribution to wildlife conservation

In 1988, he co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation, a pioneering NGO focused on community-based conservation. He was mentored by Fateh Singh Rathore, a prominent Indian conservationist and a key architect of Project Tiger.

Over his five-decade-long career, Thapar was an influential voice for wildlife protection. He served on more than 150 government panels and task forces, including the National Board for Wildlife and the Tiger Task Force formed after the Sariska crisis in 2005.

Books and popular culture

Additionally, Thapar authored over 30 books, including Land of the Tiger and Tiger Fire. He also presented and co-produced major wildlife documentaries, such as the celebrated BBC series Land of the Tiger.

Thapar, over five decades, advocated for stricter anti-poaching laws and the preservation of undisturbed tiger habitats. He often stressed that tigers need inviolate spaces—natural habitats free from human interference—for long-term survival.

In 2024, he appeared in the documentary My Tiger Family, marking 50 years of his work with tigers in Ranthambore. A vocal critic of Project Cheetah, he warned that India lacks the resources and habitat necessary to sustain African cheetahs in the wild.

Tributes pour in

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over his death.

"Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of noted conversationalist, author and naturalist, Valmik Thapar. A leading authority on Tiger conservation, he was as one of India's most respected wildlife experts and was appointed a member of the Tiger Task Force of 2005. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, wildlife enthusiasts and the conservation community," Kharge wrote in a post on X.

Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh also paid tribute, calling Thapar a legendary figure in the field of wildlife conservation.

"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," he said.

Ramesh recalled Thapar's contributions during his time as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, where Thapar was a constant source of suggestions and guidance.

"During my tenure as Chairman of the Standing Committee also he was a constant source of many valuable suggestions and advice. We had arguments but it was always an education to listen to him, full of passion and concern," he added.