Lt Col Shakti Ranjan Banerjee (Retd) is a naturalist having a profound interest in conservation of Nature and Wildlife. During his career in the Army profession he had the opportunity to study the various eco systems within the country including the eco sensitive zones. He was instrumental in starting the Eco Cell at the Army Headquarters in 1986 and subsequently carrying out environment awareness among the rank and files within the Indian Army. After obtaining retirement from the Indian Army, he was privileged to have joined the World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF-India) as the State Director, West Bengal State Office. As the State Director he had to oversee many projects within West Bengal such as Save Environment and Regenerate vital Employment (SERVE) project in the Darjeeling Hills and Sundarban Landscape Project. One of the focus of WWF-India is on environmental education which is carried out through schools, local communities and NGOs.
He was also appointed as Honorary Wildlife Warden in West Bengal for a number of years as well as Member, Wildlife Advisory Board, Government of West Bengal.
He was also associated with Vivada Cruises as General Man- ager cum Naturalist for their Sundarban Cruise.
He is presently associated with Wildlife Protection Society as a Hony Director, President, Nature Mates - Nature Club and President, Bali Nature and Wildlife Society.
Army in India had its role in wildlife study and conservation since long. During British Raj, many army officials who had the opportunity to traverse through various remote and forested tracts, of- ten in conflict with various local chiefs and rulers, had documented their experiences. After independence the flow declined drastically but a few officers attempted to maintain the legacy to some extent. Indian army is guarding the nation in the Thar desert, along the Himalaya and in the mountains of North-eastern states. These remote and less accessible areas are home to many rare and endangered species such as the Great Indian Bustard in the dry Thar desert, Snow Leopard, Great Tibetan Sheep or Argali, Ki- ang and some other high-altitude species in the Great Himalaya and beyond in the cold plateau to the Hoolock Gibbon and White- winged Wood Duck in the rain forests of the North-east. The presence of army has not only provided an atmosphere of protection to the wild denizens but also allowed many conservation- workers access to these areas.
The breed of naturalist-army has become rare in post-independence era, and only a handful of them are around. One such rare personality is Lt. Col. Shakti Ranjan Banerjee. I first heard his name in late 1980s from Mrs Anne Wright, MBE, one of India's pioneering conservationists. Then in mid-1990s I had the opportunity to meet him at Sukna Forest Rest House, near Siliguri in northern West Bengal when we had visited Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary together. In those years I had been to Sukna on a number of occasions being part of a Gaur-research project and also something else. I had been to his residence also in Sukna cantonment. We continued our friendship till date.
Lt. Col. Banerjee's involvement with wildlife conservation is very well known in this part of the country.
My fascination with nature and wildlife began in my childhood, when I grew up literally in the lap of nature. My school, Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, which is located in an environmentally sensitive zone like Dehradun, which is now part of the Uttarakhand state, instilled a great deal of knowledge on the subject. Doon valley, surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains and the Siwalik Hills, was ideal for my first study of nature. During our vacation, we went on excursions through the dense forests that are now Rajaji National Park. In fact, the Indian Army provided me with numerous opportunities to travel throughout the country, allowing me to better understand the various eco systems, including eco sensitive zones, as well as interact with various indigenous communities and their commitment to environmental protection. The presence of WWF-India offices across the country facilitated close interaction on conservation issues. I also had the opportunity to interact with local non-profit organisations. In this book, I've shared my experiences with nature and wildlife in various parts of the country, as well as my knowledge of the subject. I've also mentioned the Indian Army's role in preserving our wilderness. There is no doubt that WWF- India is a major NGO involved in the conservation of Nature, Environment, and Wildlife, and I have made my affiliation with this organisation known. My observations may be useful to young people studying or interested in nature and wildlife.
I am grateful to Mrs Anne Wright, Founder Trustee of WWF- India, for guiding me on wildlife during my younger days in the Army, Ms Belinda Wright for involving me with WPSI, Mr Ravi Singh, Secretary General of WWF-India, for keeping constant contact with me, Dr Saswati Sen, current State Director and her entire West Bengal State Office team, and Dr Anurag Danda, Di- rector, Sundarban Program office, WWF-India, and his team.
I am also grateful to Dr Dipankar Ghose of WWF-India and Mr Heerak Nandy for inspiring me to write this book and providing valuable advice.
I also want to thank my wife, Sujata Banerjee, and my daughter, Sonal Banerjee, for their help in writing this book.
Mr Arjan Basu Ray and Barnana Prakashani deserve special thanks for taking the initiative to publish this book.
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