'She was an icon, a path-breaker.'
Dr Saket Badola, Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve, remembers his meeting with Dr Jane Goodall, the legendary conservationist and renowned chimpanzee expert who passed into the ages this week.
Dr Jane Goodall has been an icon to all of us in the field conservation. Her work for the primates, especially chimpanzees, has been remarkable.
I have heard her lectures and interactions on various forums and had the honour of meeting her when she visited India in November 2024.
She wanted to know about India's conservation efforts, especially tigers -- and that's why I was invited for the interaction.
I invited her to the Corbett Tiger Reserve so that she could spend some time in tiger land. She accepted my invitation. For us, it was very touching.
Unfortunately, her health and busy schedule didn't permit it. She said she would visit an Indian tiger reserve, probably Corbett, next time.
I gave her a Corbett cap as a souvenir.
Instead, a visit to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai was planned for her. We spent almost an entire day at the park -- talking about various themes on wildlife conservation, the challenges before India and what we were doing to counter it.
We also visited the rescue facility for leopards at the park and closely observed them.
Her personal story of how she came into this field as a young girl and gave her life to conservation is an inspiration for every conservationist.
She left her place of birth and travelled to a new land to study wildlife. Leaving behind everything she knew to work for the conservation of another species. While many strive to work for humans, devoting your life for another species needs another level of dedication.
She was already 90 during her visit to India. Seeing her enthusiasm, her clarity of thought was impressive. She was updated with developments in various parts of the globe, including India.
She was sharp and observant. She spent a sizable time sitting near the lake at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, saying she wants to absorb the energy and feel rejuvenated.
I was just looking at the peaceful expression on her face. Even sitting near her felt like meditation.
We talked about the Hoolock Gibbons found in Assam. She said someday she would like to do a project on the conservation of the Hoolock Gibbons.
Sadly, that and her wish to visit Corbett remained unfulfilled.
At the dinner hosted at a city hotel, I was seated next to her.
What fascinated me was that despite her vast experience and knowledge, she was a lifelong learner.
Generally, we assume that when someone has achieved such glory in their field, they talk more, but she was full of questions.
She was inquisitive about the growing human-wildlife conflict and appreciative of India's efforts to save its wildlife despite its large human population.
On the personal level, I was touched that she had heard good things about tiger conservation at Corbett -- having your childhood conservation hero sitting next to you, appreciating your work and expressing the desire to spend some time with you meant so much to me.
An animal lover as a child growing up in England, Dr Goodall jumped at the first opportunity to work at the Gombe National Park, Tanzania in her early 20s.
Frankly, we were like children asking her about her early days of studying the chimpanzees.
She was one of the first persons -- man or woman -- to go so close to chimpanzees and observe them. She discovered they could use tools just like humans, express emotions and use their intelligence.
This was a path-breaking discovery.
She told us about the many months she spent with the chimpanzees and what she felt when they finally accepted her. They trusted her which gave her the opportunity to go even closer to study them.
That experience made her realise the love animals are capable of, provided one is also well-intentioned.
She was enthusiastic about the younger generation and hopeful that it would take the mantle forward.
That evening, when we were about to leave, she held my hand and said, 'Please continue the good work, save the tigers for us and for the entire globe.'
Her whole persona was so great that you could feel that energy. She was very, very soft-spoken and a lady of immense grace.
That evening still remains with me. It has left a big impression and hopefully will get reflected in my work.
Jane took her research and message of conservation to every corner of the globe with strong advocacy.
Even at 90 when I met her, she was travelling around the world and continued doing so till her last breath.
I don't think we have many persons like her, not just in conservation, but in any other field.
Her love for conservation and wild animals was so pure, so unadulterated.
I was really excited as a child to meet someone I had admired all your life.
I feel lucky that she touched my life in some way, even briefly.
As told to Archana Masih/Rediff
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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