An Environmental Champion

Many names of global significance in the field of environmental conservation have hailed from India. Bittu Sahgal is one such individual who continues to pour efforts into the cause of preserving India's diminishing biodiversity and dwindling natural resources.

Bittu Sahgal | Source: Telegraph India

India has seen its fair share of people who have strived to bring about awareness regarding the fading biodiversity of the country. One such man hails from humble origins and continues to be globally recognised for his never-dwindling efforts.

Soon after India gained independence, a child was born who would go on to become a champion for environmental issues in the nation. On 12 October 1947, Bittu Sahgal was born in the city of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. The child received a regular education in the state before migrating further to pursue a livelihood. Little did he know about the path life had set for him.

A young Sahgal started his career in the advertising industry of the thriving city of Mumbai. But nothing could keep him away from the natural habitats that called out to him. He found himself regularly visiting national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. His excursions soon turned into a vested interest in the biodiversity found at these places. It comes as no surprise then that he found himself getting engaged in a discussion of conservationist efforts. Leaders in the field, such as Salim Ali and Kailash Sankhala, played an instrumental role in initially guiding Sahgal towards this path. It was under the guidance of Fateh Singh Rathore that he became determined to take more concrete steps in this direction.

In 1981, Sahgal published the inaugural edition of Sanctuary Asia. It was not just another environmental journal. Through this publication, Sahgal aimed to foster a space that would inspire other people to join the drive. This was also the start of a long journey towards raising awareness for the cause of environmental conservation that awaited him. Sahgal is still the editor of the magazine.

Even though Sahgal was focused on larger topics such as saving tigers, he soon expanded his work to include all kinds of conservation efforts. Subsequently, he established the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. But Sahgal was always ready to do more, especially to make a change at the grassroots level. In 2017, he started the Mud on Boots initiative to honour the people who were making a difference at the most basic levels of the ecosystem. This would mean an acknowledgement of the efforts that had gone unseen for too long and also inspire more of those in the long run.

He is also the mastermind behind the 'Kids for Tigers' program. As the name suggests, the project aimed to encourage young ones to become a part of the movement to save the diminishing tiger population of the country. The program aimed to educate school-going children and has been an immense success.

Sahgal is just one of the many significant names on the list of Indian conservationists. He continues to be extremely vocal about climate change and the threat that looms over humanity. Many environmental activists have advocated the need for a collective effort towards saving our planet, and Sahgal is one of them. Perhaps it is time that we open our eyes to the reality that we have been blind towards and join the ranks of such people.