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Volume 49-Number 11; Published on every Friday of Advance Week; Posted at LPC Delhi – RMS – Delhi – 110006 on Every Friday & Saturday; Total number of Pages 68 (including cover pages)
INDIA’S
VANISHING
BIRDS
THE COUNTRY IS LOSING AN
ALARMING 50 PER CENT OF ITS
AVIAN SPECIES DUE TO SHRINKING
FORESTS AND WETLANDS, CLIMATE
CHANGE AND HUMAN APATHY
FROM THE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
B
irds have been around on Planet Earth since the
Jurassic days. They are, in fact, the dinosaurs that
survived the Great Extinction 65 million years ago,
which killed off all their non-winged counterparts.
At one of the latest counts of 1,317, India is host
to nearly 12 per cent of the world’s avian species. But a large
number of them are on the decline, some more rapidly than the
others. India got its own Red Data Book on these numbers last
year in August, with the State of India’s Birds (SoIB) report for
2023. Its findings are truly worrying and call for urgent action.
The report found that out of the 942 species that were under
assessment, 98 species of birds had declined by as much as 50
per cent in the past three decades. It recommended 14 of these
to be added to the Red List of the threatened species main-
tained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN). Three of these species could already be extinct, as they
have not been sighted for decades—the Manipur bush quail,
the Himalayan quail and the Jerdon’s courser. What’s worse,
the survey shows that another 106 had declined by 25 per cent
and could find themselves in the endangered list in the next
two decades alone. In all, SoIB 2023 has 178 species that it
considers to be of high priority for conservation and another
323 species in the list of those at moderate risk.
Together, they constitute 53 per cent of all the
species surveyed. Raptors, migratory shorebirds
and ducks have declined the most. But things
are no better for avian specialists of open eco-
systems, rivers and coasts. So, the Malabar grey
hornbill, a vast congregation of which inhabits
the Valparai plateau in the Western Ghats, de-
clined by 56 per cent between 2004 and 2018—
less than a decade and a half.
So, what’s the main cause for the alarm-
ing fall in numbers of Indian birds? There are
many. Climate change looms over everything as
a major cause. Even the 0.8° Celsius increase in September 4, 2000
mean global temperatures in the past 150 years
has upset the delicate balance of life for many birds, affecting
migratory, nesting and breeding patterns. Migratory birds are
now going upward and northward in search of cooler climes.
In the summer of 2022, Gujarat saw the strange spectacle of
birds falling from the sky because they were dehydrated. Call
them martyrs of a much wider ‘avocalypse’. Unseasonal rains
and artificial irrigation systems have wreaked havoc on the
breeding behaviour of the Sarus crane.
The other major reasons are that India’s birds are also los-
ing their homes, whether in the marshes and the wetlands, the
forest, or even in the open. India’s 201,503 wetlands, which
harbour an extraordinary number of bird species, are under
extreme stress. The SoIB reports a dire 50-80 per cent decline
over the long term in those species that thrive on wetlands.
Loss of forest cover is another culprit. You may think of
Arunachal Pradesh as mostly pristine nature, but that’s past.
Now, depleting forest cover puts the Wreathed hornbill in
mortal danger and in SoIB’s list of species on high conserva-
tion priority. Plain ‘green’ does not suffice. Natural forests have
immense tree variety, offering food and dwelling resources for
a vast number of birds. But commercial monocultures, which
began in the colonial period and have exploded since Inde-
pendence, tend to narrow that down to much fewer species.
Oil palm plantations, for instance, which have grown over
30-fold since the 1990s, support only 14 per cent of the bird
species that can be seen in the rainforests next to them in
Mizoram. Only 50 per cent of the woodpeckers in Uttara-
khand’s old sal forests can survive in the teak plantations
taking over the state. About 25 per cent of bird species are
lost in tea plantations that come up next to rainforests.
Bird deaths and decline are also caused by human callous-
ness in India. The Slender-billed vulture is among them. In
Delhi, at one time, it was not rare to see hordes of them hulked
on treetops on the fringes of city spaces—an air force always at
the ready to perform their unwholesome but most necessary
duty. But bovine carrion poisoned by livestock drug diclofenac
across the country ended that ancient vigil. Vulture popula-
tion has declined by more than 90 per cent in the country.
I
t is never too early to take, well, a bird’s eye view of the crisis.
Senior Associate Editor Sonali Acharjee does exactly that
in our cover story this week, ‘India’s Vanishing Birds’, drawing
a grim picture of India’s avianscape from the data thrown up
by SoIB 2023, which was put together by 13 major conserva-
tion and research organisations based in India.
How does all this matter? Well, birds are not just
a barometer of ecological health, they are also
its guarantors. Seed dispersal and pollination,
overall species balance via predation, disease
control, the role they play in the web of life is
vital. The Wreathed hornbill, in fact, is called the
‘farmer of the forest’. The much-reviled vulture
is one of the species that can foretell the ecologi-
cal dangers ahead. As Wildlife SOS CEO and co-
founder Kartick Satyanarayan tells us, “If birds
can’t survive, it won’t be long before humans will
find it hard to survive too.”
Wisdom dictates that we care more than
two hoots for the owl. To do that, governments,
researchers and ordinary citizens must come together to
shape a future in which man and bird can coexist. To save
the birds, we must first collate data on them. SoIB 2023 is a
worthy initiative in that direction. We could also follow the
lessons from the species that have managed to survive, like
the Indian peafowl or the Asian koel. Or draw cheer from
the fact that the humble house sparrow, which had almost
vanished from urban landscapes, is back in our backyards.
Community-driven efforts, such as the one to protect the
Sarus crane in Madhya Pradesh, or to increase the numbers
of the Greater adjutant storks in Bihar, should also prove
instructive. “We have a moral obligation to protect birds,”
says ornithologist V. Santharam. “If not for the fact that we
have inherited this planet and must make space for all life,
then for how much we enjoy birds—their songs and colours.”
Indeed, what will life be without birdsong.
(Aroon Purie)
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 3
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The country is losing an alarming 50 per cent of its avian species because of
shrinking forests and wetlands, climate change and human apathy
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 UPFRONT
UP: SHUTTING KERALA: THE
THE REVOLVING LEFT TAKES THE
DOOR PG 12 LEAD PG 13

MP: PATWARI RAJASTHAN:

PLOTS A CONGRESS A RAGING
REVIVAL PG 14 SANDSTORM PG 18

H O U S E H O L D E X P E N D I T U R E S U RV E Y

BHARAT IS
CATCHING UP
WITH INDIA
ROCKY MAKKAD

HIGH ASPIRATIONS
A customer at Aaryashree
Motors, a Royal Enfield dealer,
in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh

6 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
UPFRONT
By M.G. Arun
D
espite a nearly seven per
cent growth projected
for India this fiscal and
the next, economists
often quoted slackness
in rural income and consumption as
a stumbling block to prosperity. But a
new set of data put out by the Centre on
February 24 has brought some cheer
on that front.
The Household Consumption
Expenditure Survey, released by the
ministry of statistics and programme
implementation (MoSPI) after a gap
of 11 years, suggests that the spending
on goods and services by rural Indians
has risen at a faster pace than that in
urban areas. Expressed as the aver-
age monthly per capita expenditure
(MPCE), it shot up by 62 per cent in
rural areas—from Rs 1,430 in 2011-12
to Rs 3,773 in 2022-23, as compared
to a 59 per cent rise in urban centres—
from Rs 2,630 to Rs 6,459. The survey,
which covered 261,746 households
across 8,723 villages and 6,115 urban
blocks spread across the country, is
useful in understanding the consump-
tion and expenditure pattern of Indi-
ans, their standard of living and well-
being. A similar survey was conducted
in 2017-18 as well, but the results were
junked by the Centre, citing issues in
the quality of data collected.
In the latest report, what’s even
more encouraging is the fact that
the share of non-food expenditure in
rural India is now higher (54 per cent)
than that of expenditure on food (46
per cent). Spending less on food as a
percentage of the total could very well
mean that a person is able and willing to
spend more on discretionary items like
consumer durables, apparel, or other as-
pirational products. Moreover, the data
shows that the difference between rural
and urban spending is narrowing, thus
bridging the metaphorical gap between
Bharat and India, and is the lowest in
two decades (71.2 per cent). It was 76
per cent in 1999-2000.
“Such endogenous factors,” says
Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief eco-
8 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
HOW INDIAN
HOUSEHOLDS
SPEND
THE MONTHLY PER
CAPITA EXPENDITURE
(MPCE) DATA OF
INDIAN HOUSEHOLDS
HIGHLIGHTS CHANGING
CONSUMPTION TRENDS
A RURAL
SURGE
In the past decade,
spending on goods
and services by rural
Indians has risen at a
faster pace than that
in urban areas
All-India
average
BOTH RURAL AND URBAN MPCE 59%
INDIA ARE WITNESSING A `6,459
SHIFT IN CONSUMPTION 62 %
FROM CEREALS TO
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, `3,773
INDICATING MORE INCOME
`2,630
`1,430
nomic advisor, State Bank of India, “are
mostly due to initiatives the government RURAL URBAN
has taken in terms of direct benefit
2011-12 2022-23 Increase
transfers, building rural infrastructure,
augmenting farmers’ income and im-
proving rural livelihoods significantly.”
Madan Sabnavis, chief economist with
the Bank of Baroda, calls it a “natu- has staged a significant 440 basis point
ral” development. “Once we meet our [4.4 percentage point] decline since
necessities, we tend to spend on other 2018-19,” says Ghosh, “and urban poverty
discretionary goods,” he explains. “Be- is down 170 basis point [1.7 percentage
sides, if food comes in free, there is more point] post pandemic.” This, he says,
to spend on other items.” has “vindicated” the salutary impact of
Whatever the explanation, the government schemes launched for those
timing couldn’t have been better for the at the bottom of the pyramid.
ruling dispensation, as the report comes So, how are the choices of Indian
just weeks ahead of the general election. consumers changing? Both rural and
It also gels with the NITI Aayog’s recent urban India are witnessing a change in
claim that 248.2 million Indians have food habits. The consumption of cereals
come out of multidimensional poverty and pulses is dropping, and that of milk is
in the past nine years. “Rural poverty increasing. Similarly, both are spending
Graphic by ASIT ROY and Illustration by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY
 BRIDGING THE GAP... 71.2%
...BUT THE RICH AND THE POOR
The difference between rural The rich-poor For the first time, the average MPCE of
`6,459 divide is as agriculture households has fallen below the
and urban spending in 2022-23
is the lowest in two decades, stark in rural as overall average of rural households, pointing
indicating an upward tick in in urban India to continuing stress in the farm sector
rural spending Average MPCE
All-India All-India average MPCE by
average MPCE
`3,773 BOTTOM 5%* household type in 2022-23
83.9%
1,373
88.2% `2,630 RURAL
2,001
90.8%
`1,984 Self-employed in
75.9% TOP 5%* agriculture 3,702
`1,105
`855 10,501 Self-employed in
`1,430 4,074
non-agriculture
`486 `1,054
`579 20,824 Regular wage/
1999-2000 2004-05 2009-10 2011-12 2022-23 salaried earning in 3,597
Rural Urban
agriculture
Rural Urban
Difference as % of rural MPCE *Ranked by MPCE Regular wage/
salaried earning in 4,533
non-agriculture
AMONG THE STATES, MPCE IS THE HIGHEST IN SIKKIM FOR BOTH RURAL Casual labour in
AND URBAN AREAS (`7,731 AND `12,105, RESPECTIVELY). IT IS THE agriculture 3,273
LOWEST IN CHHATTISGARH (`2,466 AND `4,483, RESPECTIVELY)
Casual labour in
non-agriculture 3,315
Others 4,684
LIFESTYLE IMPROVEMENT
Now, even in rural India, the share of non-food expenditure is
higher than the share of spending on food. Within food items,
URBAN
the expenditure on cereals is dropping, and that on fruits and
veggies is increasing, suggesting an improved lifestyle
Self-employed 6,067
Regular wage/
39% salaried earning 7,146
54 % 46%
`2,023 `1,750 `3,929 61 %
`2,530
Casual labour 4,379
RURAL URBAN Others 8,619
Average MPCE Share of food items Share of non-food items

Source: Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23, MoSPI

more on fruits and vegetables than on ce-
reals—all this indicating a shift towards
more nutritious food, even as the prefer-
ence for processed food is also going up.
Despite the similarities, differences
persist. Compared to urban Indians,
those in rural areas used a higher por-
tion of their MPCE on cereals (5 per
cent vis-à-vis 3.6 per cent), pulses (2 per
cent vis-à-vis 1.39 per cent), milk and
milk products (8.3 per cent vis-à-vis
7.2 per cent), vegetables (5.4 per cent
vis-à-vis 3.8 per cent), and egg, fish
and meat (4.9 per cent vis-à-vis 3.7 per
cent). Although rural Indians spend
more on non-food items than on food
in general, the share of their expen-
diture is lower as compared to urban
consumers when it comes to durables,
but higher for essentials such as cloth-
ing, bedding and footwear.
That said, economic disparities,
though narrowing, are as pronounced
within villages as in cities and towns.
The bottom 5 per cent of India’s rural
population has an average MPCE of
Rs 1,373—87 per cent lower than that
of the top 5 per cent (Rs 10,501). In
urban areas, too, the difference is as
wide as 90 per cent—Rs 2,001 for the
bottom 5 per cent as compared to Rs
20,824 for the top 5 per cent.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the
average MPCE of agriculture house-
holds (Rs 3,702) has fallen below the
overall average for rural households (Rs
3,773), pointing to continuing stress
in the farm sector. With the threat of
farmers laying siege to Delhi borders
still looming large, that’s something the
Opposition could count on to corner the
government ahead of the election. n

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 9
UPFRONT
H I M AC H A L P R A D E S H / R A J YA S A B H A P O L L S
VERTICAL
DESCENT FOR
CONGRESS
By Anilesh S. Mahajan
I
t’s been a bit of a nerve-wracking
rollercoaster ride for the Congress
of late, with the latest jolt to its
self-image coming from a state
it would have deemed relatively
peril-free: Himachal Pradesh. But
as it realised on February 27, with a
Rajya Sabha election that went hor-
ribly wrong, no paradise is free of
things that move in sudden, unpredict-
able ways…. As another day rolled by
unsteadily in trauma ward, the Grand
Old Party was scrambling to save its
only solo state government in north
India. Home remedy was out of the
question, since trouble had erupted
precisely because the local unit was
caught up in internecine strife. So,
Congress troubleshooters from else-
where—Karnataka strongman D.K.
Shivakumar, former Haryana CM
Bhupinder S. Hooda, Chhattisgarh’s
Bhupesh Baghel—were drafted in to
impose a modicum of order, and talk to
everyone to arrive at a resolution.
As things stood after hectic con-
fabulations late on February 28, Chief
Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had
just about erased the question mark
put over his continuation. But the reb-
els, too, had holstered their guns. State
PWD minister and son of the late CM
10 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
Virbhadra Singh, Vikramaditya Singh, out then had been the obvious choice
who left the Sukhu government teeter- for many: Mandi MP and Virbhadra’s
ing on the edge by sending in his resig- widow Pratibha Singh. That heartburn
nation, had been mollycoddled enough has obviously not eased. On February
to take it back. And, in a counter-strike, 27, son Vikramaditya found his oppor-
the budget was passed after 15 BJP tune moment to strike amidst a most
legislators were suspended for ‘unruly dramatic and shambolic turn of events
behaviour’. The six Congress MLAs who for the party earlier that day: Singhvi’s
had cross-voted to defeat party candi- shock defeat in the Rajya Sabha elec-
date Abhishek Manu Singhvi, too, were tion from the state. It had come out
suspended, and disqualified a day later. of the blue, despite the party having a
In retrospect, it was indeed folly clean majority of 40 MLAs in a 68-seat
for the Congress to imagine Himachal assembly. The BJP had only 25 legisla-
as a state where it needed to fear no tors. But apart from the six Congress
ambush. About 15 months ago, when turncoats, three independents who
Sukhu was sworn in after a morale- supported the government till then
boosting assembly poll victory, he was also shifted loyalties. That swelled BJP
a freshman, a compromise candidate candidate Harsh Mahajan’s numbers to
meant to balance power equations 34—tied with Singhvi. Later, Mahajan
between rival factions. The one who lost won the tiebreaker in a draw of lots.
C R O S S- C O NNE C T I O N
 The Congress  AICC oberv-  BJP gets mass-
gets sucker-pun- ers seem to have ive boost before
ched in the RS pulled govern- LS poll. Local
polls in Himachal ment back from cadre on a high,
despite having a the brink, but ‘Operation Lotus’
15-seat cushion crisis not over proceeds apace

The rebels later blamed Sukhu’s
governance as the prime reason for
them turning mutinous. An embar-
rassed Sukhu, for whom this was the
first political test, initially offered to
resign, but later dug his heels in. The
party high command, not keen to deep-
en the sense of instability, also asked
him to hang on. The drama surround-
ing Vikramaditya’s resignation and
its retraction, though, is unlikely to go
away. It is an odd complication because
his mother is both state unit chief and
the party’s only Lok Sabha member
from the hill state. Pratibha Singh says
her camp had “informed the high com-
mand that things were not going well a
ANI
STUMPED Himachal CM Sukhu
and defeated RS candidate Abhishek
Singhvi talk to the press in Shimla,
Jan. 27; (inset) Vikramaditya Singh
year back, but they did nothing”.
Her group had earlier disapproved
of the AICC decision to turn down the
Ram Janmabhoomi Trust’s invitation
for the Ram temple Pran Pratishtha
ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22.
Himachal is a state where Hindutva
symbolism always tends to get trac-
tion. In short, both realpolitik and ide-
ology seem to converge in an ominous
way for the Congress. The six MLAs
who cross-voted have brought down
the effective strength of the House to
62, so the Sukhu dispensation is hang-
ing on with a tenuous strength of 34
seats for the moment. But one land-
slide in the hills can always bring on
more, once the soil is loose. An en bloc
desertion has been thwarted only for
the want of a handful more legislators.
The BJP, meanwhile, has got exactly
what the doctor ordered just before the
general election. While rejuvenating the
local cadre, it has lent more buoyancy to
the larger narrative of a super-confident
ruling party gliding towards a near-
inevitable Lok Sabha victory—that
perceptional gain will stands even if
the Himachal government survives this
blitz. The Rajya Sabha seat is a bonus,
like the additional eighth one it eked
out in Uttar Pradesh after forcing a poll
with the nomination of another turn-
coat, Sanjay Seth.
I
f Seth was once close to the
late Samajwadi Party supremo
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Himachal’s
surprise winner Mahajan is a former
Virbhadra aide and had formed one
of the axes of factional power within
the state Congress, as its working
president, after the popular ex-CM’s
2021 demise. He had joined the BJP
in September 2022, just a couple of
months before the assembly polls. The
Congress win then had denied him
immediate gratification; the return on
investment has come now.
As much as the plain idea of a
defeat, it’s the spectacle of former loy-
alists crossing over to the BJP that will
leave the Opposition dispirited. This is
part and parcel of the BJP strategy: it
actively works to demoralise its rivals
before any big battle. This includes
poaching strong local figures and the
footsoldiers and voter base that comes
along as part of the package deal. The
BJP’s digital war rooms, thus, have
developed datasets that capture the
strengths and weaknesses of not only
their own men, but also that of oppo-
nents. That’s why its aggression, such
as that witnessed during these Rajya
Sabha polls, actually works when the
time comes. It’s always deployed so as
to serve more than one function.
For instance, in UP, it had already
inducted the BSP’s Ambedkar Nagar
MP Ritesh Pandey. That made it easier
to coax his father, the SP’s Jalalpur
MLA Rakesh Pandey, to cross-vote;
also, Goshainganj MLA Abhay Singh.
Both are among the five assembly seats
within the Ambedkar Nagar LS con-
stituency that the BJP had lost during
the 2021 polls. All in all, it adds up to a
picture of an inexorable tectonic shift. n
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 11
UPFRONT
U T TA R P R A D E S H
SHUTTING THE
REVOLVING DOOR
By Prashant Srivastava
O
n February 22, all the talk
in Lucknow was about how
‘UP ke do ladke’ (the two
boys from Uttar Pradesh,
Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav)
had come together again, sealing
the alliance for the Congress and
Samajwadi Party in the coming Lok
Sabha election. The celebrations were
short-lived, though, as a reality check
presented itself on February 27 with
the Rajya Sabha election. Even as vot-
ing was under way, five SP legislators,
including the party’s chief whip Manoj
Kumar Pandey, went to meet Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath. By evening,
it was clear that seven party MLAs
had cross-voted (one more abstained),
dashing the SP’s chances on what was
a sure third seat from the state.
The RS poll was no sidelight
intruding upon the main event: it had
been one of the key considerations in
the formation of the alliance in UP.
Altogether, 10 seats were at stake,
with 37 votes needed to win a seat.
The BJP had nominated Sanjay Seth
as its eighth candidate at the eleventh
hour to spite the SP, who had already
declared Jaya Bachchan, Ramji Lal
Suman and former chief secretary
Alok Ranjan as its candidates. The
SP needed 111 votes to win all three
seats but had only 108 of its own. So,
the two votes from the Congress and
one vote from Pallavi Patel (Apna Dal
Kamerawadi leader) were crucial. In
the end, it didn’t matter as the SP’s
own MLAs did it in, and Ranjan lost.
The alliance will now have to
quickly regroup after the RS disappo-
intment. According to the agreement,
the Congress has been allotted 17 seats
in UP, while in Madhya Pradesh, the
SP will contest the Khajuraho seat and
support the Grand Old Party in the
remaining 28 in the state. In UP, the
big seats the Congress will be contest-
ing are Rae Bareli, Amethi, Kanpur,
Prayagraj, Varanasi and Mathura.
Sources say fear of a split in the
minority votes (almost 19 per cent of the
population) was also a big factor in the
coming together of both parties. The SP
was vulnerable because the general con-
sensus is that the Muslim community
has come to repose faith in the Congress
nationally. Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra also got a very good response in
the Muslim-dominated areas in UP,
The SP-Congress
have a tricky task:
forge a ‘PDA’ front
of OBCs, Dalits,
minorities while
avoiding any
negative tag
WELFARE:
Basavaraj Bommai
before presenting
the state budget,
Feb. 17
ANI
ANI
which increased the pressure on the SP.
In the past month, questions had
been being raised about whether
the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will hold. After
the MP assembly election debacle,
words were exchanged between the
SP and the Congress, with allegations
that the latter was trying to expand
the space for Rahul at the cost of
its allies. To assuage such fears, the
Congress national leadership appar-
ently impressed on its state unit to
settle for 17 seats (they had been
adamant on another five—Lakhimpur
Kheri , Shravasti, Ballia, Bijnor and
Moradabad). The party’s UP in-
charge Avinash Pandey told india
today that some negotiations could
happen later but, as of now, “we have

BATTLE ZONE Akhilesh Yadav joins
Rahul Gandhi’s BJNY rally in Agra,
Feb. 25; (inset) SP chief whip Manoj
Pandey who crossvoted in the RS poll
agreed to the SP’s offer”. Sources the other hand, could not manage
in the Congress hinted that it may even 10 per cent of the vote in nine
request SP to exchange Shravasti of these 17 seats. Beyond the math,
and Lakhimpur with Mathura and the Congress-SP alliance needs to be
Bulandshahr. in sync, not just to ensure transfer of
The SP has lost two of its main votes but also to attract new voters.
allies—the Rashtriya Lok Dal Sources in the Congress say several
(RLD) and the Suheldev Bharatiya senior leaders, including Salman
Samaj Party (SBSP)—since its Khurshid, Rajesh Mishra and Brijlal
decent show in the 2022 UP Khabri, are unhappy as seats in their
assembly poll, when it raised its fief have gone to the SP.
tally from 47 to 111 seats. As for Another challenge is communal
the Congress, it has seen a steady polarisation. In the past few years,
erosion in support in the past few whenever two Opposition parties
elections. In the 2019 LS poll, it have got together in UP, the BJP has
managed just one seat, Rae Bareli, been able to project it as an ‘unholy
where Sonia Gandhi won. Rahul alliance’ to consolidate the Muslim
had lost in family pocket borough vote. The SP-Congress must neutra-
Amethi (to the BJP’s Smriti Irani) lise this narrative while also relay-
despite the SP and BSP not fielding ing a message of uniting the PDAs
a candidate there. (Pichada, Dalit and Alpsankhyak)
Indeed, a turnaround for the or Backwards, Dalits and minorities
Congress seems a monumental (especially Muslims). It’s an uphill
task. In 2019, the BJP had won 14 task and the two parties will not
of the 17 seats that have come to the want to dwell on their last disastrous
Congress now, 11 of them with over outing together—the 2017 debacle
50 per cent vote share. The latter, on that installed Yogi in Lucknow. n
KERALA
LEFT TAKES
THE LEAD
By Jeemon Jacob
ANI
EARLY START Kerala CM and CPI(M)
leader Pinarayi Vijayan
L
ooking to avoid a repeat of 2019,
the ruling Left Democratic
Front (LDF) in Kerala has an-
nounced candidates early for the
coming general election. The CPI(M)
candidates’ list has a number of heavy-
weights, including politburo member A.
Vijayaraghavan in Palakkad, ex-finance
minister Dr Thomas Isaac in Pathana-
mthitta, and the former health minister
who did such a stellar job during Covid,
K.K. Shailaja Teacher, in Vadakara. Ally
CPI, too, has upped their game, field-
ing Annie Raja (wife of party general
secretary D. Raja) in Wayanad, where the
sitting Congress MP is Rahul Gandhi.
Coming to Rahul and the Congress,
sources say the ‘will-he-won’t-he’ con-
test again from Kerala is keeping the
state unit on tenterhooks. In 2019, the
Congress-led United Democratic Front
(UDF) had swept the state, winning
19 of the 20 LS seats, on the back of
Rahul’s entry in Wayanad. UDF con-
stituent IUML (Indian Union Muslim
League), though, has announced their
candidates. Among the IUML contests
to look out for will be the one between
two-time MP Abdussamad Samadani
and the CPI(M)’s K.S. Hamsa in
Ponnani. The latter is a former IUML
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 13
UPFRONT

THERE IS A FEAR AMONG

STATE CONGRESS LEADERS
THAT IF RAHUL GANDHI
EXITS, IT WILL AFFECT THE
FORTUNES OF THE PARTY

state secretary who broke with the party

after tangling with party general secretary
P.K. Kunhalikutty.
As for the Congress, a senior leader told
india today, “All our candidates except for
Rahul have started their poll campaign. We
will announce our list after he decides.... We
want him to contest from Wayanad. But
there is pressure from the I.N.D.I.A. front
as he’ll have to fight Annie Raja.” There are
rumours that AICC general secretary K.C.
Venugopal may replace Rahul in the UDF
stronghold. But local leaders are none too
THE NEW CUSTODIAN Patwari (centre)
happy with that news.
takes stock of preparations for the Bharat
Many state leaders feel that if Rahul Jodo Nyay Yatra in Morena, Feb. 27
exits, it’ll affect the party’s fortunes all over
the state. One of them was open about the
crisis in the state unit: “Frankly speak- M A D H YA P R A D E S H /C O N G R E S S
ing, we are caught between the devil (CM

Patwari Plots
Pinarayi Vijayan) and the deep sea (PM
Narendra Modi). The BJP has not opened
its account in Kerala, but defeat in a major-

a Revival
ity of the constituencies could lead to an
exodus of leaders and cadre to the BJP.”
The saffron party is pinning its hopes
on the Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram
LS seats, where they had run the big two
close in 2019. They too have not announced By Rahul Noronha
their candidates, playing a waiting game
with the Congress. Kerala is the outlier

in the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s plans and they are keen to break
ground here. The PM has visited the state
thrice in the past two months, addressed
the cadre and leaders and also inaugurated
a host of projects. The party wanted to
field popular actress and classical dancer
Shobana from Thiruvananthapuram, her
home town, and even approached her
through superstar Suresh Gopi, the likely
candidate for Thrissur. Gopi also confirmed
this to the media, but Congress MP Shashi
Tharoor, who has represented the state
capital since 2009, says he’s sure she won’t
contest for the BJP. n
T
he walls of Jitendra ‘Jitu’
Patwari’s office at his 74
Bungalows residence in
Bhopal are covered with
photos of the Congress pantheon.
But two portraits—that of former
Madhya Pradesh chief ministers
Kamal Nath, 77, and Digvijaya
Singh, 76—stand out, literally
framing one of the key issues
Patwari faces now. That is, how
to work out a seamless transition
from the old guard, represented
by those two, to the new, of which
he is the motif.
Patwari, 50, who took over the
reins of the state Congress from
Kamal Nath in mid-December,
a fortnight after the party failed
miserably in dislodging the ruling
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in
the assembly election, faces a trial
by fire. There is the Lok Sabha
election looming ahead, and the
attrition in the Congress’s ranks—
real and potential—is only mak-
ing his job tougher.
While no one is willing to
admit it on record, the Congress
leadership has decided not to

14 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4

spread itself too thin. So, 14 out of the
29 Lok Sabha seats have been identi-
fied where it has a “realistic” chance of
winning, discounting the 15 seats that
the Congress has not won for the past
five elections, such as Indore, Ujjain,
Bhopal and Jabalpur. The seats in
sharp focus are those with a substan-
tial tribal population: Dhar, Ratlam,
Chhindwara, Balaghat, Shahdol,
Mandla and Sidhi. This assessment is
based on the ST population’s perceived
affinity towards the Grand Old Party.
In the 2023 assembly election, even
though the Congress’s tally in the 47
My focus is
on posts that work
for the organisation,
not on posts that are
focused on elections
—JITENDRA PATWARI
President, Madhya Pradesh
Congress Committee
ST-reserved seats came down to 22
from the 31 it had won in 2018, the
criticality of the tribal vote is not lost on
the party. It did well in the tribal pock-
ets of Dhar and Jhabua in west MP,
and Chhindwara, Mandla and Dindori
in east MP, besides Sheopur in the
north. In fact, a third of its 66 newly
elected MLAs belong to the communi-
ty, which constitutes nearly 21 per cent
of the state’s population. In the 2019
Lok Sabha election, too, the Congress’s
lone win came from Chhindwara.
“Despite multiple schemes
launched by the BJP government to
woo the tribals, our tribal brothers have
reposed their faith in the Congress,”
Patwari, who is considered to be Rahul
Gandhi’s choice for the post, told india
today. “We will continue,” he added, “to
focus on the community.” In line with
the change of guard, the Congress has
also decided to field younger candidates
PAST RESULT
(2019 LOK SABHA ELECTION)
Total constituencies in
Madhya Pradesh: 29
28
1 for the organisation,” he says, “and not
58%
SEATS
VOTE
34.5%
SHARE
7.5%
BJP Congress Others
T HE C O N G R E S S
GAME PLAN
 Focus on 14 Lok Sabha
seats, where the Congress
has a “realistic” chance
of winning, especially
those dominated by the
tribal vote
 Field younger
candidates in these seats,
who will be willing to put in
effort for future electoral
battles even if they lose
the current contest
 Take the organisation
down to the panchayat
level and give a fillip to
the offices of district,
block, mandal and sector
presidents
 Strengthen the state
units of Youth Congress,
NSUI and Mahila Congress
to get a ready pool of
winnable candidates
in these seats. “The idea is to groom
future leaders,” says a party functionary,
not wishing to be named, “who, even if
they lose right now, would be willing to
put in some extra work for the party to
repose faith in them the next time.”
And this long-term planning is
very much a part of the overall scheme
of things under Patwari, which entails
recreating a robust organisational base
well before the next assembly election.
Patwari is aware that the Congress
still lacks a foothold at the grassroots
level, despite tall claims made in the
past about rebuilding the organisa-
tion. “My focus is on posts that work
on posts that are focused on elections,”
that is, booth and panna pramukhs.
“I want to strengthen the offices of
district, block, mandal and sector pres-
idents,” he explains. “Once these posi-
tions are active and in constant touch
with people, the booth will start deliv-
ering electorally on its own.” Patwari
plans to take the organisation down to
the panchayat level and also focus on
the state units of the Youth Congress,
National Students’ Union of India
(NSUI) and Mahila Congress, espe-
cially the latter, since women’s reserva-
tion will require having a ready pool of
winnable women candidates.
Coming back to his short-term
goal, that is, a decent performance
in the general election, Patwari has
decided to corner the BJP on issues
concerning the farm sector. One of
the promises in the BJP manifesto
for the assembly election, which the
state government has shown no sign of
implementing for the upcoming Rabi
procurement season, was that of pro-
curing wheat at Rs 2,700 per quintal.
The other was to buy paddy at Rs 3,100
per quintal, which, too, the BJP failed
to keep after the election. The state
Congress also plans to press for a mini-
mum support price (MSP) for listed
crops ahead of the general election, an
issue already at the heart of the protests
being led by the Punjab farmers.
While Patwari with his street-
fighter image may have the blessings
of the central leadership, working
with the old guard in MP will not be
a cakewalk. He will need to proceed
cautiously, manage egos, build his own
team and also deal with the empty
coffers of the party. There has already
been a flight of Congress leaders to the
BJP and speculation abounds about
more being en route; Kamal Nath’s
‘BJP switch’ buzz has only added to the
confusion. Patwari is sure to have his
hands full. n
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 15
 UPFRONT
PURUSHOTTAM DIWAKAR
A RAGING SANDSTORM
A
newbie chief minister al-
ways elicits some curios-
ity. Add some extra layers
to that when you have
someone like Rajasthan’s
Bhajan Lal Sharma, who came from
beyond the pale of perhaps his own am-
bition to occupy high offce. What kind
of political personality would he develop
as a CM? What policy orientation will
he exhibit? The answer came as he drew
lines in the sand—literally, with a new
turn to the policy for mining sand from
river beds. People got their first glimpse
of it when his regime launched a major
18 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
R AJASTH A N
By Rohit Parihar
assault against illegal mining, striking
at a vast, shadowy business centred
around ‘the new gold’. Alleged bribes
in sand mining are estimated to be to
the tune of Rs 360 crore a year, against
offcial annual revenues of only Rs 125
crore. Amid this murk, a 17-day special
drive in January. Sharma’s first major
administrative initiative, totted up
impressive figures: tracing illegal stock
worth Rs 368 crore, and getting 2,643
cases registered, nearly half of all those
filed in the financial year till then.
But what got everyone really sitting
up and taking notice was its first high-
DIGGING ‘THE NEW GOLD’ Illegally
mined sand stocked near the
submergence area of Bisalpur Dam;
(below) CM Bhajan Lal Sharma
profile target: Meghraj Singh Shekha-
wat, a major sand mining operator and
hotelier with connections cutting across
party lines. This happened via a simul-
taneous scaling up of operations. The
Enforcement Directorate (ED), coming
into the picture on February 14, began
extensive three-day raids on Meghraj’s
properties across different locations,
including his Jaipur residence, mining
hubs and properties in Nagaur, Udaipur
and the town where his career took off
nearly four decades ago: Jaisalmer.
Meghraj Singh ‘Royal’, so called
after his native village in Sikar district,
UPFRONT
is no B-movie sand mafia don. His
fortunes, then estimated at Rs 300
crore, had by 2014 already taken his
MRS Group to a feature in Fortune,
which told the story of his rise from a
chef at Rambagh Palace and the Gov-
ernor’s House in Jaipur, to a pioneering
restaurateur in Jaisalmer as it began to
boom in the 1980s, to a big name with
interests in liquor, marble, infrastruc-
ture, hospitality—and mining. Over the
decades, he cultivated excellent rela-
tions on both sides of Rajasthan’s politi-
cal binary, and has consequently carried
on his business unmolested. Indeed,
MAJOR MINER Meghraj Singh Shekhawat
for long, he had prominent BJP leaders
as his partners. But it was in 2020 that
he edged closer to prime-time news,
though still backstage. It was at his
Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer that then
Congress CM Ashok Gehlot lassoed
in over a hundred loyalist ministers
and MLAs when Sachin Pilot, then his
deputy and PCC chief, revolted.
The one intriguing thing about the
raid was caste: Meghraj is a prominent
Rajput face, big enough for irate com-
munity members to get the hashtags
#RajputsAgainstBJP and #StandWith-
Meghraj among the top trends on X
by February 15. Associated with many
community-centred outfits, he is often
adoringly designated as a ‘Bhamashah’,
after Rana Pratap’s legendary minister
and patron, implying a rich and mag-
nanimous friend of the community.
So why would the BJP risk incur-
ring the wrath of one of its core support
groups? The answer may lie in a combi-
nation of factors. One theory discarded
soon enough was that it was an attempt
to keep Jat leader and Khinwsar MLA
Hanuman Beniwal in good humour: he
had staged protests against Meghraj’s
business last June, and now sprang to
take credit for goading Sharma into
action. More likely, Meghraj may have
fallen irredeemably afoul of other
MEGHRAJ IS NO
B-MOVIE SAND
MAFIA DON. HIS
FORTUNES, THEN
ESTIMATED AT
Rs 300 CRORE,
HAD BY 2014 TAKEN
HIS MRS GROUP
TO A FEATURE IN
FORTUNE
powerful figures within the ruling
establishment, and the raids were the
culmination of a rift with an emerging
Rajput cartel. In this reading, it’s an
intra-caste affair, and Rajput loyalties
towards the BJP are anyway deemed so
solid as to not cause much concern. And
the old mafia-political nexus was prov-
ing to be the biggest obstacle in the way
of fulfilling the revised policy.
Talking to india today on Febru-
ary 29, Meghraj made that rivalry
angle explicit, saying, “The ED raids
at our establishments and the mining
department’s raids on our sand mines
and stocks are part of an ongoing battle
of dominance over sand mining, with
the son of a top BJP leader backing a
rival group and the government pushing
for sand from desiltation of dams.” The
Sharma regime presents it as a cleansing
operation on a long history of rampant
illegal mining and its attendant violence,
to which the scarred beds of non-peren-
nial rivers and the banks of picturesque
dam reservoirs stand testimony.
S
and mining is a vexed issue where
a total ban by the Supreme Court
in 2017 had only triggered more
illegality and a spurt in prices, till a
qualified return to the old leases was
allowed in 2021. But none of the court’s
mandated safeguards were kept in sight
as the mining apparatus went back to
its voracious ways. Now, the state is
pushing for an innovative way to solve
all problems in one go: save the rivers
yet get sand, while keeping a check on
the old mafia. In a nutshell, it entails
dredging up sedimented river silt and
extracting its sand content. This will
feed the enormous market for sand in
the construction industry, while restor-
ing the capacity of dams and giving
rivers with heavily damaged beds a
breather and a chance for replenish-
ment. An emerging entrepreneur,
Nilesh Gadhiya, who came from Guja-
rat two decades ago, has been entrusted
with the project for three dams, which
also promises to rewrite the ongoing
battle over mining contracts and the
corresponding power it yields.
There’s a touch of continuity here:
the three-dam contract was awarded
during the Congress regime and the
Sharma dispensation has opted to back
it. Shikhar Agrawal, who was key to
envisaging the policy turn as additional
chief secretary (ACS), irrigation, is now
the ACS to the CM. Experts say the
project, the first of its scale in India, can
be the model for many big dams (such
as Punjab’s Bhakra) where desiltation
has been held up due to costs. The three
dams where the experiment will run are
Bisalpur in Tonk, Som Kamla Amba in
Dungarpur and Gudda in Bundi. If they
show the way to the future, that would
be a happy outcome to a muddy story. n
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 19
 FOCUS
VIEWPOINT

DEMOCRACY
or
TYRANNY
GURBIR SINGH
President Guru Nanak Education Trust Ludhiana
life, liberty and accountability in public life. There Gurnam Singh entered politics when Punjab was
JUSTICE GURNAM SINGH could be no democracy without natural rights. communally polarised. He was the principal archi-
He saw the constitution, framed and amended tect of Hindu-Sikh amity in the state. He wrote to

A
General Election is an occasion to
reflect on the state of the nation.
Prime Minister Modi predicted in
America in 2015 that the 21st century
belongs to India. Similar claims have been made
by politicians and economists since. How realistic
is this projection? One yardstick is an economic
comparison with countries of East and Southeast
Asia as poor as us at our independence in 1947.
World Bank nominal Index (2023) for per capita
income in international Dollar 2023 East and
South Asia Countries.
under the shadow of the Punjab bloodshed at
partition, as inherently fragile. It acted as a speed
breaker. It did not have adequate safeguards for
the protection of civil liberties, press freedom and
judicial independence. The balance of power lay
with a centralised executive armed with draconian
laws without check. He said people must take
a stand against abuse of power and corruption
or lose their liberties. He foresaw a national
emergency like 1975 and the present misuse of
coercive laws by central agencies. In a letter to
Prime Minister Nehru on July 5,1960 he wrote. “
The laws may become merely the will and whims
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 28th January 1970
that he would not allow this achievement to be
undone by the spread of communal virus in rural
Punjab. Harmony has prevailed since except when
allowed to fall apart in the 1980s. Partition cut off
India geopolitically from the landmass of Asia, the
Gulf and the North West Frontier, the entry point to
the subcontinent. India and Pakistan, integral parts
for milleniums now faced each other in hostility.
A house divided against itself cannot stand, said
Lincoln. Majoritarian ideologies wearing the sleeve
of nationalism exploited this divide to demonise the
minorities and civil society.

COUNTRY INCOME RANK COUNTRY INCOME RANK Gurnam Singh felt a flourishing farming community
and rural literacy were basic to boost national
SINGAPORE 87884 5 CHINA 12541 72 prosperity and provide a consumer base for indus-
try. As Chief Minister he gave practical shape to the
HONG KONG 51168 19 THAILAND 7298 92 food policy adopted by the country making it self
sufficient. He ensured a remunerative price fixation
JAPAN 33950 30 INDONESIA 5109 113 of foodgrains by the center and expansion of the
role of FCI to purchase surplus foodgrains. He is
SOUTH KOREA 33147 31 VIETNAM 4316 120 the only Chief Minister to head an Indian delegation
to the World Food Conference in 1969. He was the
TAIWAN 32339 35 PHILIPPINES 3859 125 first head of government to initiate rural electrifi-
cation and village link roads. In his brief tenure in
WORLD 13330 66 INDIA 2612 140 office Punjab became the most prosperous state in
the country.
MALAYSIA 13034 68 TOTAL 194
After the American Constitutional Convention, a
lady asked Benjamin Franklin if they had a Republic
We must introspect why we are lagging behind if we of those in power, and as such they can be the or a monarchy. “A Republic if you can keep it” he
are to emerge as a major power. The views of Justice most terrible weapons of tyranny.” At least Nehru replied. It is for the Indian people if they want a
Gurnam Singh, the first non Congress Chief Minister believed in an inclusive secular democracy. But vibrant democracy, rule of law with guarantees
of Punjab, are prophetic. As a leading lawyer, the only what of his successors? Gurnam Singh believed of safety for minorities whether religious, political
permanent member of the Higher Judiciary (Punjab federalism or greater power to the states was nec- or ideological. Or drift towards authoritarianism.
High Court) to head an elected government in India essary to restore checks and balances and allow And an economic order where the bottom half get
in 1967, he saw the weaknesses of the system and the provinces to grow to their potential. He objected an equitable share. Do we want to be in perpetual
problems faced by the public from both sides of the to regional demands being branded as anti-nation- struggle with our neighbors or have the will to
fence. A nation is as strong as its institutions and al and communal. History and culture were falsified resolve issues. A hard road, but that is what
norms. He was an advocate for the inherent right to to suit a particular narrative. statesmanship is about.
 UPFRONT

Ramayana

Illustration by SIDDHANT JUMDE

in Bihar
W hile remarking on
Nitish Kumar’s Feb­
ruary 12 trust vote, Opposi­
tion leader Tejashwi Yadav
described the Bihar CM as
King Dashrath who had exi­
led his son Ram. He also
spoke of a ‘Kaikeyi’, who had
GL ASSHOUSE poisoned the CM’s ears and
got him to break the alliance
with the RJD­Congress. On
THE PROMISED HOUSE February 25, Tejashwi added
a new twist to the Bihar

T
he campaign for the 2019 general election was in full spate when Smriti Irani, the Ramayana, telling reporters
BJP candidate from Amethi, had promised building a house there if she won. That in Patna that there were 3­4
came to pass, the Union minister bought a 15,000 sq. ft plot of land in Amethi’s Kaikeyis and a Manthara too.
Gauriganj tehsil in 2021 and, on February 22 this year, held a housewarming ceremony “The CM should get rid of
(just days after Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra crossed the constituency). With them, or in time we’ll expose
speculation now that Rahul will again contest from here, we’ll have to wait and see how them ourselves,” he said.
auspicious the new house is for Irani. Its boundary walls make no secret of her party’s Enough to pique everyone’s
campaign focus, adorned as they are with scenes from the Ramayana. curiosity, for sure.

Power Goals A STATE OF SPEAKERS

K erala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
can go to any lengths for
bureaucrats close to him. His
latest act of benevolence is
elevating chief principal secretary
K.M. Abraham to cabinet rank.
The 65-year-old bureaucrat,
who retired as chief secretary,
has rejoined the CM’s
office, and also holds
additional charge as
CEO of the Kerala
Infrastructure
Investment Fund
Board (KIIFB). The
1982 batch IAS officer,
considered the most powerful
babu in the state, is a former SEBI
member who investigated the
Sahara scam. It’s the first time a
bureaucrat has been given cabinet
rank in Kerala. While politicians
envy Abraham his cabinet status,
babus in the state have found a
new career goal.
T here is something
about Speakers from
Rajasthan. Speaker of
the current assembly,
Vasudev Devnani, is
aggressive but managed
his first session well. Lok
Sabha speaker Om Birla
has received kudos from
PM Narendra Modi and
is a major player in state
politics, though he is a
tad worried now as the
Blessing in Disguise?
A few in the Congress camp
feel the tie-up with AAP
in Gujarat cost them two big
Lok Sabha seats—Bharuch,
the late Ahmed Patel’s base,
where his children Faisal
and Mumtaz were both lay-
ing claim, and Bhavnagar,
BJP lost four assembly for Birla’s counterpart in
seats in his constituency, the Upper House, vice-
Bundi-Kota. He’s also in president Jagdeep
the race for the CM’s post Dhankhar, all official
if ever the leadership feels visits to his home state set
a change is in order. As tongues wagging.
hometown of state chief Shaktisinh Gohil.
But the truth is the BJP has won the
Bharuch seat the past seven times and
the AAP candidate there, Chaitar
Vasava, is a formidable opponent. In
Bhavnagar, Umesh Makwana, a first-
time MLA, is in the ring. Gohil, whose
party is down to 17 seats in the assem-
bly, has a lot on his hands anyway
with the other 24 LS seats.

Kaushik Deka with Ashish Misra, Amitabh Srivastava,

Jeemon Jacob, Rohit Parihar and Jumana Shah
 C OVE R S TORY B IR D S

INDIA’S VANIS
CLIMATE CHANGE,

SHUTTERSTOCK
DEFORESTATION,
DISEASE AND HUMAN
APATHY ARE TAKING
HIGH
A TOLL ON OUR AVIAN
HERITAGE. IF WE LESSER FLORICAN
DON’T ACT NOW, WE Sypheotides indicus
Habitat: Grasslands in Gujarat,
WILL LOSE SOME Rajasthan and Maharashtra
BIRDS FOREVER Reason for decline: Invasive
species in open habitats,
By SONALI ACHARJEE collisions with power lines
HIGH

WHITE-BELLIED HERON
HIGH
SLENDER-BILLED Ardea insignis
VULTURE Habitat: Wetlands of tropical/ sub­
Gyps tenuirostris tropical forests in the foothills of the
Habitat: from the eastern Himalayas of northeast India
Gangetic plain north, Reason for decline: Loss of
west to Himachal, breeding and feeding grounds
south as far as
northern Odisha, and
east through Assam
Reason for
decline: Toxins found
in carcasses they eat
SHUTTERSTOCK

HIGH
MANIPUR BUSH QUAIL
Perdicula manipurensis GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD
Habitat: Damp grasslands of HIGH Ardeotis nigriceps
northeast India Habitat: Flat open landscapes in
Reason for decline: Drainage Rajasthan and Gujarat
and destruction of tall Reason for decline: Loss and
grasslands; illegal trade degradation of habitat, hunting

26 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
SHING BIRDS
THE FOREST
OWLET
Heteroglaux blewitti
Habitat: Dry
deciduous teak HIGH
forests in central
India
Reason for BLACK-BELLIED
decline: TERN
HIGH Deforestation, Sterna acuticauda
timber logging Habitat: Wetlands of
BUGUN LIOCICHLA Andhra Pradesh, Delhi,
Liocichla bugunorum MP, Odisha, Punjab,
Habitat: Montane forest and Telangana, UP
dense undergrowth in Reason for decline:
Arunachal Pradesh HIGH Loss of breeding sites,
Reason for decline: Loss predation by animals
of habitat

GREATER ADJUTANT
Leptoptilos dubius
Habitat: Open areas in
Assam, Bihar
Reason for decline:
Loss of nesting and
feeding sites

HIGH

SAKER FALCON
HIGH Falco cherrug
Habitat: Open areas
in Rajasthan, Ladakh
WHITE-WINGED WOOD DUCK Reason for
Asarcornis scutulata decline: Habitat
Habitat: Assam and Arunachal Pradesh loss, scarcity of food,
SHUTTERSTOCK

Reason for decline: Habitat loss, hunting illegal trade

Conservation priority for 942 bird HIGH 178 MOD 323 LOW 441 HIGH
species assessed by SoIB 2023

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 27
C OVE R S TORY B IR D S

A
At a shelter run by the NGO Wild-
life SOS in Garhi Harsaru, a hamlet
on the outskirts of Gurugram, an
Egyptian vulture awaits treatment for a
fractured wing and pneumonia. A solemn-
looking bird to begin with, which goes by
the formal name of Neophron percnopterus
ginginianus (the last derived from Gingee,
a town in Tamil Nadu), the forlorn, yellow-
billed creature in the cage is weighed by a
Photograph by BANDEEP SINGH

burden even heavier—for, on his recovery

depends the survival of the rest of its vul-
ture brethren. The White-rumped vulture,
Indian vulture and the Red-headed vul-
ture have suffered long-term declines of
98 per cent, 95 per cent and 91 per cent,
respectively. The culprit has been long
known—the anti-inflammatory drug di-
clofenac, used commonly to treat livestock
for a range of ailments. The consequences,
however, prove fatal for the birds, who suc-
cumb to renal failure a day or two after
feeding on cattle carcasses. “ There are
In another part of the country, 39-year-old Abhishek several birds
Das, a businessman from Kolkata and an avid birdwatch-
er, is up at dawn hoping to catch sight of the Wreathed endemic to
hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus), one of the nine varieties India, like the
of hornbills found in India. Forever fascinated by the
bird’s red eye and yellow gular pouch, Das is in Namdapha Floricans and Bustards,
National Park in Arunachal Pradesh to catch a glimpse of that could go extinct if we
the bird before it disappears forever. Destruction of forest
land has been a predominant factor in the diminishing
don’t reverse their decline ”
of the species, also nicknamed ‘farmer of the forest’ for — VIVEK MENON Founder trustee &
its astonishing seed dispersal skills, vital in forest regen- executive director, Wildlife Trust of India
eration. The bird has been classified as ‘vulnerable’ in
IUCN’s red list since 2018. The UK-based IUCN, or the

30 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
 1,317
TOTAL BIRD
SPECIES IN INDIA
THREATS TO INDIA’S BIRDS
942
SPECIES UNDER
LOSS OF HABITAT: Forest
degradation, change in geog-
in birds, pushing them to alter
their behaviour: urban noise
ASSESSMENT raphy of open habitats, loss may cause them to sing louder,
of wetlands, riverine nesting or at different frequencies.
places and coastal habitats, Collisions with glass facades
owing to urbanisation, infra- of buildings, wind turbines and
DECLINE IN structural developments and power lines are other threats
30 YEARS
change in land use patterns.
Then there’s the rise of mono- ILLEGAL HUNTING AND

98
SPECIES
culture plantations—such as
commercial teak, oil palm, tea
and coffee plantations—which
IN RAPID DECLINE support fewer bird species
(BY OVER 50%) than natural forests
TRADE: Birds continue to
be removed from the wild and
sold for meat or for entertain-
ment. Thirty-seven seizures
of poached birds reported in
India in 2020 showed para-

106
CLIMATE CHANGE: Global
temperature has risen by 0.8°C
in the past 150 years, causing
IN DECLINE dehydration and exhaustion in
(BY OVER 25%) birds. Erratic climate patterns
also impact avian nesting and
keets, owls and vultures to be
among species at threat
LACK OF FOOD: Availabil-
ity of food resources greatly
affects bird populations. In

98
STABLE
breeding behaviour

AVIAN DISEASE: The

impact of avian disease on
the shrinking bird popula-
India, the most visible decline
in numbers has been wit-
nessed among birds that feed
on vertebrates and carrion.
This implies the presence of

19
INCREASE
tion in India has not been well
researched or documented.
contaminants in food

In 2020-21, outbreaks of avian POLLUTION: Exposure

(BY 25%) influenza across many Indian to toxic chemicals—heavy
states resulted in heavy mor- metal pollutants, plastics

17
tality among wild birds and organophosphates in
insecticides—causes hormone
URBAN INFRA: Sound disruption in birds, alterations
RAPID INCREASE pollution and bright lights of in feeding behaviour and com-
(BY 50%) cities may cause disorientation promised immune system
Source: SoIB, 2023

International Union for Conservation of Nature, has played
a seminal role in conserving biodiversity, directing policy
and effort towards species that need protection the most.
Its red list has nine categories, of which three—‘Critically
Endangered’, ‘Endangered’, ‘Vulnerable’—are considered
to be threatened with extinction. And there are 182 Indian
avian species among the 1,354 that figure in this red list.
There is no escaping the hard truth. India is losing its
birds. A fact that the State of India’s Birds (SoIB) 2023
report, released in August 2023, only corroborated. And
that cannot be good news. “Several birds endemic to In-
dia, including the floricans and the bustards, could go ext-
inct if we don’t reverse their decline,” says Vivek Menon,
founder trustee and executive director of the Wildlife
Trust of India, which was among the 13 Indian wildlife
organisations that supported the SoIB initiative. The report,
which assessed 942 of India’s 1,317 bird species, concluded
that 60 per cent of 338 species (for which there was suf-
ficient data) showed long-term decline over 30 years and
40 per cent of 359 species exhibited annual decline for the
past eight years. More specifically, it classified 178 species as
high priority for conservation, given that indicators of their
abundance have declined considerably in the long term and
continue to decline today. The tag is also applied if their
current range is very restricted, or if they appear among the
globally threatened species in the IUCN red list. Another
323 species are classified as moderate priority. It also recom-
mends 14 species for IUCN red list assessment, among them
the Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis), known locally as
the ‘neelkanth’ for its characteristic blue plumage, which is

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 31
 C OVE R S TORY B IR D S

BLACK-
WINGED KITE
Elanus
caeruleus
Habitat: Plains
and high
altitudes in
Sikkim,
Nagaland and
the Nilgiris
Reason for
decline:
Pesticides

MOD HIGH

RAPTORS’ FALL
TREND: Birds of prey, particularly
those in open habitat or forests/ planta-
“ If birds can’t survive,
tions, have showed an annual declining it won’t be long before
trend of around 50 per cent between
2014 and 2022. While the Pallid harrier
humans too will find it
has declined by nearly 70 per cent, the hard to survive. Birds
Short-toed snake eagle and Western
marsh harrier also show decline be-
like sparrows are indicator species
tween 50 and 70 per cent. that reflect the ecosystem health ”
WHY: Open-habitat raptors typically — KARTICK SATYANARAYAN
feed in farming landscapes, where pes- CEO and co-founder, Wildlife SOS
ticide is used. Carrion-feeding vultures,
specifically, succumbed to livestock
drug diclofenac, which gave them kidney
issues. Its ban may have improved things,
but vultures continue to decline in the currently listed as a species of ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN red
country—the Indian vulture by over 8 per list. In fact, about 51 per cent of the species in SoIB’s high prior-
cent a year, the Red-headed and White- ity list are classified as of least concern globally in the IUCN list.
rumped vultures by over 5 and 4 per On the other hand, 14 species considered globally endangered,
cent, respectively. The Egyptian vulture vulnerable, or near-threatened are classified low priority in the
fares only slightly better. SoIB assessment. For instance, the Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus
bitorquatus), a delicate and lapwing-like nocturnal bird found

32 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
 SILENCE OF
THE HORNBILL
TREND: India is home to 9
species of hornbills. Of these,
the Malabar grey hornbill,
found in the Valparai plateau
of the Western Ghats, dec-
lined by 56 per cent between
2004 and 2018. The Rufous-
necked hornbill and Wreathed
hornbill are declining.
WHY: Hornbills use the
like sparrows are indicator species that reflect the
health of the ecosystem.” Adds Menon, “Birds are im-
portant for their role in dispersal of seeds, pollination
and are key predators of a number of invertebrates that
could reach pest proportions without birds. They are
also a great indicator of climate change, as their mi-
gratory patterns are dependent on climate patterns.”
So, while you may find the vulture an ugly bird,
the scavenger helps prevent outbreak of disease by
consuming the decaying carcasses in the plains where
it’s typically found in India. The decline in the vulture
population has long been linked with the alarming in-
crease in the population of stray dogs, especially in ur-
ban areas, across India, and the rise in cases of rabies.

B
RUFOUS- same nest year after year.
NECKED IRDS ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL for the
Their peculiar nesting behav- survival of local ecosystems. In the Western
HORNBILL
iour makes them particularly Ghats, for example, most endemics, such as
Aceros susceptible to disruption.
nipalensis the White-bellied treepie and the Wayanad
Hunting poses another threat
laughingthrush, are inhabitants of the rainforest, and
Habitat: Forests to the Great hornbill, the
of Arunachal are key to its survival, which, in turn, influences the
Rufous-necked hornbill and
Pradesh, weather, soil and landscape of the region. South Asia
the Wreathed hornbill in parts
Sikkim, West of the eastern Himalaya. For- is home to 232 species of endemic birds, of which 30
Bengal are endemic to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 36
ests are being lost to illegal
Reason for logging, land use is changing to the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, and 95 to the In-
decline: and monoculture plantations dian subcontinent as a whole. The SoIB report shows
Hunting, are thriving. In northeast In- a more than 50 per cent decline in the abundance of
deforestation endemic birds in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
dia, only 5 per cent landscape
is suitable for these birds. between 2014 and 2022. “We don’t realise it, but birds
serve an important ecological function and are im-
portant for our future,” says Rushikesh Chavan, head
of The Habitats Trust, a wildlife conservation body.
Other birds in rapid decline include open-habitat
only in India’s Eastern Ghats, is listed as critically endan- species like bustards and coursers, riverine sandbar-
gered in the IUCN red list and was last seen in 2004. But nesting birds like skimmers and some terns, coastal
even though it hasn’t been sighted in many years, a small shorebirds, open-country raptors and ducks. In fact,
population is believed to be thriving somewhere in the less- the discovery that common species like ducks are also
explored scrub forests of Andhra Pradesh. in decline came as a surprise and an alarm to experts.
But, what is killing our birds? Climate change,
WHY DO WE NEED BIRDS? for one. In the summer of 2022, Gujarat witnessed
Birder Das finds being with birds meditative. “Because we the curious spectacle of birds falling from the sky
are so far removed from wild birds today, we have forgotten because the extreme heat left them dehydrated and
how important they can be for our peace of mind,” he says. exhausted. Similar cases were reported from other
“I credit the sparrows and parrots in our local park to my parts of North India as well. According to an Inter-
success at work,” echoes birdwatcher and banking executive governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) es-
Abhishek Chawla, 47, from Mumbai. “Every morning, I go to timate, global mean temperatures have increased by
hear them and calm my nerves. That morning wake-up routine 0.8°C in the past 150 years. Warming climes are af-
is extremely important for my well-being.” A 2022 research in fecting the migratory patterns of birds, causing them
Scientific Reports supported the idea that birdsong reduces to move northwards or to higher elevations, in search
anxiety and paranoia not only among those who reported of cooler environs. According to a March 2023 study
depression but is beneficial even for ‘healthy’ humans. by four Indian researchers in the journal Diversity,
Not just human health, birds are crucial for the well-being as many as 66-73 per cent of the 1,091 species they
of the entire ecosystem. “If birds can’t survive,” says Kartick studied would shift northward or upward by 2070.
Satyanarayan, CEO and co-founder of Wildlife SOS, “it won’t Climate change also possibly affects avian nest-
be long before humans will find it hard to survive too. Birds ing, breeding and foraging behaviour. In a 2018 study

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 33

C OVE R S TORY B IR D S
in Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh pub-
lished in the journal Waterbirds, the researchers, among
them Program SarusScape director K.S. Gopi Sundar,
observed unseasonal nesting among Sarus cranes (An-
tigone antigone) due to abnormal monsoonal conditions
or when they found themselves in areas with artificial
water resources.
Deforestation and the rise of monocultures are other
prime reasons for birds losing out in the natural order of
things. Monoculture plantations such as coffee, tea, rub-
ber, teak or oil palm maintain single-tree species as they
are easier to harvest. This leads to a loss of larger trees and
tree cover, affecting birds that prefer higher or thinner
branches. Studies in the dry deciduous and tropical thorn
forests of Rajasthan as well as Himalayan oak forests have
found that reduced canopy cover, undergrowth and tree
height have adversely impacted bird diversity.
A
RANGE OF STUDIES BEARS this out. Oil
palm, for example, supports only 14 per cent of
bird species that can be seen in rainforests next
to them in Mizoram, according to a 2016 study
in the journal The Condor. Only 50 per cent of wood-
peckers in Uttarakhand’s old-growth sal forests can
survive in teak plantations that are taking over the state,
as documented in a 2011 study in nature journal Biologi-
cal Conservation. About 25 per cent of bird species are
lost in tea plantations that come up next to rainforests.
These monoculture plantations are expanding, going by
a 2021 study in the publication Current Science. The area
under oil palm plantations, for instance, has expanded
30-fold from 1991 to 2015, reports a 2021 study in the
journal Nature Food, and most of this expansion is tak-
ing place in the tropical rainforest areas of the country.
SHRINKING WETLANDS
Waterbirds face as much threat as their forest cousins
due to loss of habitat. India currently has 201,503 wet-
lands and most of them are under stress courtesy urban-
isation. Riverine ground-nesting birds have declined by
50-80 per cent over the long term, according to the SoIB
report, and some continue to decline even now. Crucial
habitats like the Pulicat Lake on the Andhra Pradesh-
Tamil Nadu border, the Gulfs of Khambhat and Kachchh
in Gujarat, the Thane creek and adjoining mudflats in
Mumbai and the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai are
under threat of encroachment. The disruption in water
levels on account of irrigation schemes, sand mining,
climate change and pollution impacts the breeding of
riverine sandbar-nesting birds. Trampling by grazing
livestock that wander into islets when water levels recede
leads to the destruction of 9-20 per cent of the eggs.
Predation by dogs and jackals, who meander into nesting
34 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
ANDAMAN TEAL
Anas albogularis
Habitat: Wetland birds
found in the Andaman
& Nicobar Islands
Reason for decline:
Hunting, reclamation
of wetlands
HIGH
DECLINING DUCKS
TREND: India hosts eight resident and 35 mi-
gratory species of the bird in a range of habitats,
including inland lakes and tanks, submerged
paddyfields, rivers, forest pools and coastal
lagoons. Both kinds are experiencing long-term
and continued decline. The Common pochard
is declining by 2.5 per cent annually; at Chilika
Lake, the counts went from 90,000 in 2001 to
2,000 by 2014. The Andaman teal has a popula-
tion under 1,000; Baer’s pochard has a global
population of less than 1,700 and very few mi-
grate to India now. The Tufted duck has declined
by nearly 80 per cent between 2014 and 2022.
WHY: Though there are no studies to pinpoint
exactly why the duck population is threatened,
hunting, loss of wetlands and avian disease
could be among some of the reasons.
islands, also results in a loss of 32-35 per cent of the eggs,
as noted by a 2020 study of the Bombay Natural History
Society (BNHS).
Birds that live in open habitats are no safer. The de-
cline of the Great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is a
well-documented one. Critically endangered, only some
150 individuals are left in the wild. Several other species
are on the decline. The Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excu-
bitor), for instance, has exhibited a long-term decline of
over 80 per cent. Experts attribute this to the invasion of
open habitats by drought-tolerant woody plants as well
as wind turbines and power lines. Prosopis juliflora, a
prolific thorny invasive plant from South America known
 DUNLIN LOST IN
Calidris alpina
Habitat: Wetlands
MIGRATION
of Haryana TREND: India is a key non-
Reason for breeding destination for many
decline: Not clear Eurasian bird species. The
decline in the number of long-
distance migrants has been
significant, over 50 per cent.
Shorebirds that breed in the
Arctic have been particularly
affected, declining by close to
80 per cent as a group. By
comparison, resident species
as a group have remained much
more stable.

WHY: Conservation of long-

distance migrants requires iden-
tifying and maintaining the health
of critical habitats, including
intertidal mudflats, mangroves,
grasslands, open wetlands,
paddy fields and reedbeds. This
ensures they are able to feed
HIGH and build up resources for their
arduous migration journeys.

“ We have a moral birds breed in a huge area in Arctic Russia, but as they
go down the letter, they are all channelled through a
obligation to protect small route to a smaller area to feed in the winter. They
birds. Not only bec­ come to the same place for life. If anything happens to
these places, they can’t adapt. The flamingo’s beak, for
ause we must make example, is designed to feed on algae. If it can’t find
space for all life, but also bec­ algae, it’ll die out,” says Prabhu.

ause we enjoy birds ” DILEMMA OF THE MIGRATORY BIRDS

— V. SANTHARAM Ornithologist and director, Insti-
tute of Bird Studies & Natural History at Rishi Valley
as the ‘mad babul’ in India, has turned arid and semi-
arid regions in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, MP, NCR and
Rajasthan unsuitable for open habitat-dwellers. In the
high altitude grasslands of the Western Ghats, some
planted exotic trees like the wattle have now turned
invasive, threatening the future of birds like the Nilgiri
pipit (Anthus nilghiriensis).
Mrugank Prabhu, a researcher and ornithologist
with the BNHS, has been studying migratory popula-
tions in Mumbai for over a decade now. He explains why
specialist birds—those loyal and acclimatised to one
ecosystem or dependent on one region for breeding—
are the most threatened. “It is a Y-shaped journey—the
Nearly 370 species of migratory birds visit India through
three flyways—the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) and the Asian-East
African Flyway (AEAF). Over 80 per cent of the birds
come through CAF and, of these, 87 species are of high
conservation concern, two critically endangered, five
endangered and 13 vulnerable among them. The Indian
coastline is an important wintering zone for them. If the
refuelling and feeding grounds of these birds are taken
over, the birds will not know where to find food or water.
The availability of food resources, in fact, greatly
affects the avian population. Birds feed on a variety of
food—vultures and other raptors feed primarily on meat,
others rely on fruits and nectar, yet others on seeds, and
some on invertebrates. Crows eat more than one type of
food, and are omnivores. SoIB 2023 points out that birds
that feed on vertebrates and carrion have declined the
most. “Either the food resource contains harmful pollut-
ants, or is declining in availability, or both,” says Prabhu.

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 35
C OVE R S TORY B IR D S

WOODPECKER’S
LAST KNOCK
TREND: Clear long-term trends are avail-
able for 11 species of woodpeckers, of
which seven appear stable, two are declin-
ing, and two others are in rapid decline. The
White-bellied woodpecker has dropped to
less than 50 per cent of its historic baseline
in the past three decades; the Yellow-
crowned woodpecker has declined by
more than 70 per cent in the past 30 years; YELLOW-CROWNED
and the Brown-capped pygmy woodpecker WOODPECKER
by 50 per cent in the long term. Leiopicus mahrattensis
Habitat: Forest and plantation
WHY: Loss of large, old forest trees that bird found in Chhattisgarh,
woodpeckers prefer to make cavities in for MP, Maharashtra, Telangana
nesting and fewer insects to feed on are the
Reason for decline:
primary reasons for their decline.
Destruction of Grassland
HIGH
SHUTTERSTOCK

Birds are a highly specialised species; fossil and
biological evidence suggest they are indeed the di-
rect descendants of dinosaurs themselves. According
to research by the Simon Fraser University, the total
amount of time evolutionary processes worked to cre-
ate all the known bird species globally is about 77 bil-
lion years. By contrast, modern homo sapiens have had
a paltry 160,000 years to get where we have. The sud-
den rise of humans to the top of the food chain and the
simultaneous changes we have brought to the planet’s
weather and landscape have not given specialists like
birds time to evolve and adapt. “Evolutionary biology
takes millions of years to adapt to the threats most
birds face today. They are specialists not just in terms
of their biological requirements but also their eggs and
breeding are highly sensitive. Birds, for instance, won’t
breed if they are traumatised,” says Prabhu.
THE HUMAN THREAT
In February 2020, images of a rare Oriental darter (An-
hinga melanogaster) in Palwal, Haryana, its beak en-
cased in plastic, took the internet by storm. A couple of
years earlier, a Black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus
asiaticus) in a wetland outside Delhi stared in horror at
the camera as a plastic ring sealed its beak. Both birds
were eventually rescued, but not all are as lucky.
Exposure to toxic chemicals—heavy metals in pol-
lution, plastics and organophosphates used in several
insecticides—wreaks the greatest havoc on birds, be it
hormone disruption, alterations in feeding behaviour
or a compromised immune system. Such exposure dur-
ing the reproductive stage can affect fertility, egg formation
and chick-rearing behaviour. Studies have shown that
toxic metals infiltrate all organs of a bird. A 2020 study in
Scientific Reports noted unusually high quantities of toxic
substances found in the feathers of 15 species of shorebirds
at the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, a Ramsar site
(wetland site designated to be of international importance
per Ramsar Convention, 1971), and in the Pichavaram
Mangrove Forest. Another 2022 study in the journal Tox-
ics found the levels of metals in the tissues, liver, kidney and
feathers of the Indian pond heron (Ardeola grayii) and the
Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) to be
over permissible limits.
“ Birds are
specialists not just
in their biological
requirements but
their eggs and breeding too
are highly sensitive. For
instance, they won’t breed if
they are traumatised ”
— MRUGANK PRABHU Researcher, ornithologist

36 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
 BENGAL
SHUTTERSTOCK
FLORICAN
Houbaropsis
bengalensis
Habitat:
Grasslands of
UP, the Nepal
Terai, Assam
and Arunachal
Pradesh
Reason for
decline: Land
use change
HIGH
BUSTARDS GO BUST
TREND: Four species of bustards, a group of iconic
grassland birds, are found in India. All four are spe-
cialised to open natural ecosystems (ONEs). Of these,
the population of the Lesser florican, which breeds in
fragments of grasslands, is less than 900 individuals.
The Great Indian bustard has only 100–150 individuals,
most of which survive in the Desert National Park of
Rajasthan, where captive breeding has been started.
The Bengal florican is restricted to the Himalayan Terai
and the grasslands of northeastern India, with a South
Asian population of under 400 individuals.
WHY: Bustard habitations have faced tremendous
loss and change since the 1980s owing to infrastruc-
tural and developmental activities by humans.
A BIRD’S URBAN NIGHTMARE
Bright lights and loud noises in cities heighten bird sensitivity. The
former can confuse birds and increase the risk of their crashing into
the glass facades of buildings. The SoIB report says more than 60
species from 33 families of birds are affected by such collisions or
electrocution by power lines in India. Loud noises can cause birds
to sing louder, or at a different pitch or abandon their habitat in
fright. V. Santharam, ornithologist and director of the Institute
of Bird Studies and Natural History at the Rishi Valley School in
Andhra Pradesh, points to another unfortunate trend—irresponsi-
ble bird-watching in urban sanctuaries. “People play bird sounds to
draw them out,” he says, “little realising it frightens them and forces
them to either flee territory or expose themselves to predators.”
India is also losing bird species to illegal hunt-
ing and trade. Only last year, more than 1,700
Alexandrines, Ring-necked and Blossom-headed
parakeet fledglings were seized from the bird
market in Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. “The de-
plorable ways in which these birds are poached,
transported and handled causes their death be-
fore they can be rescued,” says Satyanarayan. And
whether they survive or not, the fact that traded
birds are removed from their source populations
impacts the wild population and their future.
B
IRD SURVIVAL ALSO STANDS
threatened for another simple reason:
the absence of enough avian medicine
specialists and hospitals. That job is
right now being done by the Wildlife SOS fa-
cilities in Delhi NCR and Agra, which alone res-
cue and treat between 3,000 and 5,000 birds
annually, among them owls, hornbills, flamin-
goes, egrets, eagles, kites, peafowls, ducks and
parakeets. Theirs is a dedicated avian treatment
centre for birds, including raptors, the classifica-
tion given to birds of prey. For the Wildlife SOS
team of veterinary doctors, it is as much a matter
of getting the line of treatment right as of time.
“Avian medicine is nascent in India,” says Dr Ab-
hishek Singh, senior veterinary officer, Wildlife
SOS. “We are still perfecting medical procedures
for wild birds, be it endoscopy, anaesthesia or
blood draw, as birds are extremely fragile and
delicate. Stress-free handling and observation
are as important as the treatment.” The NGO has
plans to establish Delhi NCR’s first avian hospital
and is raising the Rs 2.5-3 crore needed to set up
such a facility, which is expected to be a game-
changer in helping increase the survival of birds.
“India needs this facility,” says Satyanarayan.
Especially as birds get injured or trauma-
tised far more easily than mammals, as avian
vet Dr Shiwani Tandel of Phoenix Veterinary
Speciality in Mumbai points out. “Mammals
have a diaphragm that separates the chest and
the abdominal cavity,” she explains. “Birds don’t
have this and their muscular wall itself is thin.
So, even if the trauma is blunt, it can lead to
internal bleeding. The smallest of cuts makes it
difficult for birds to fly, and sharp trauma slices
into their organs immediately. Additionally,
birds have a high heart rate. If, in mammals, it
is 120 or 140, it is double, almost 230-240, in
birds. So, they also tend to bleed more readily,
and get so scared that they go into shock.” Birds
also do not have a bladder, which means they
have a higher chance of getting dehydrated than
mammals—and faster.
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 37
C OVE R S TORY B IR D S

THE HARDY BIRDS

HOW DO WE SAVE OUR BIRDS? Healthy both in abundance and in distribution,
Even as a majority of the bird species decline in India, a few endemic bird species are exhibiting a
217 others have reported a stable or rising population in rising trend in the past three decades
the past eight years and could hold a valuable lesson on
what we can do to protect our birds. For any conserva-
tion project to be successful, though, there are some
essential parameters. Chavan, who has more than two
decades of experience in the field, lists them thus: “The
first thing to do is to gather scientific evidence. Ecological
systems are very complex and chaotic, and we need data
(to understand them better). The second thing is not to
be preachy or authoritarian about it. You are dealing
with a lot of humans who interact with birds, you don’t
tell them what to do, rather you have a dialogue with
them.” Finally, he advocates, you need a concrete plan of
action, customised to local needs. “A lot of conservation
has sadly become templatised—you do a school educa-

SHUTTERSTOCK
tion programme, a research programme, a training pro-
gramme. It doesn’t always work. You must design your
interventions carefully, using the first two steps,” he says.
LOW

S
AVING BIRDS, THEREFORE, has to be a
mix of an enabling environment, research and
citizen science. To protect the country’s bird INDIAN PEAFOWL
life, the MoEFCC had on February 3, 2020, Pavo cristalus
introduced a 10-year plan for bird conservation. Its A rapidly increasing species, it is expanding into new areas
aim was to protect endangered species, start recovery such as the rainforests in the Western Ghats and the high
programmes of critically-endangered birds, protect Himalayas. It is now found in every district of Kerala where
birds in urban areas, and preserve their habitats. One once it was extremely rare. The exact reasons are unclear,
interesting approach was to start conserving areas of but their proliferation owes to protection by law and through
avian importance outside of protected zones. India has religious-cultural beliefs. However, rising uncontrolled
a network of 1,014 protected areas (PAs), which includes numbers can have a negative impact on snakes and crops.
national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, community and
conservation reserves. The government had designated
554 sites outside of these zones as Important Bird &
Biodiversity Areas (IBAs); 506 of these have globally
threatened bird species.
Two years earlier, the ministry had also unveiled
the National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory
Birds (2018-2023), meant for birds along the Central
Asian Flyway. India’s National Wildlife Action Plan
(2017-2031) also incorporates guidelines for the pro-
LOW LOW
tection of birds and their habitats. A few government-
individual efforts have already yielded encouraging
results. In Madhya Pradesh, for instance, voluntary ASIAN KOEL ROCK PIGEON
agency Bhopal Birds commenced a community-based Eudynamys Columba livia
programme to protect the Sarus crane in 2014. The scolopaceus It has successfully adapted to
programme, in which the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) It has increased by humans and can nest and feed
and the MP forest department were partners as well, almost 75 per cent on whatever humans provide.
involved the appointment of Sarus Mitras, or friends of compared to its pre- Since wild populations have
cranes, around the Ramsar site of Upper Lake in Bho- 2000 baseline. No one been interbreeding with
pal. “In 2014, only 12 Saruses were reported in the Bhoj knows why, but fruit- domestic pigeons for years, a
Wetland Area around Upper Lake. That had increased eating birds in general large majority of Rock Pigeons
to 312 by 2021,” says Mohammed Khalique, founder of are doing well seen around us are ‘feral’.
Bhopal Birds. The bird has also seen a revival in Uttar

38 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4

RETURN OF THE SPARROW
Once a fairly common sight, the urban
house sparrow is slowly hopping back
into our backyards
MOD
Photograph by BANDEEP SINGH
IN
the early 2000s, the sparrow population
began to decline alarmingly in India, by al-
most 70 per cent in certain areas. Among
the reasons for decline was the lack of nesting
sites in concrete buildings, disappearing kitchen
gardens, competition for food from pigeons,
electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers and
disturbances from traffic noise and pollution.
However, the State of India’s Birds 2020 report
noticed the sparrow population becoming stable in
the past 25 years. The revival of the bird owes a lot
to the several micro-conservation efforts. In Delhi,
for example, the Eco Roots Foundation has put out
700,000 nests for the birds. The bird was adopted
as the state bird in 2012 and March 20 is celebrat-
ed as World Sparrow Day. Many people are also
returning to feeding the birds with affordable bird
feeders online.
“ Compared to 120-
140 for humans, birds
have a heart rate of
230-240. So, they
tend to bleed more
readily, and get so scared that
they go into shocks”
— DR SHIWANI TANDEL
Phoenix Veterinary Speciality, Mumbai
40 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
COVE R S TORY B IR D S
Pradesh, where its numbers have grown from 700 individuals
in 2013 to more than 2,500 now.
Likewise, experts are hailing the return of the Amur falcon
as a success. The start of the winter season brings these birds
from Mongolia to northeast India in large numbers. Poaching
and the illegal wildlife trade had led to a sharp decline. Steep
penalties and educating local communities have slowly seen the
numbers revive. And just last November, four years after the
release of the threatened Cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii) in
Himachal Pradesh, the project notched its first milestone as two
breeding pairs were observed in Seri village. With only 2,700
of these speckled birds left in the subcontinent, such moments
are critical for their survival. In Bihar, too, efforts by individu-
als and the forest department have resulted in the number of
Greater adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius) storks crossing 600 in
just the Kadwa-Kosi riverine belt. India now has 90 per cent of
the bird’s population.
In Gurugram, a local community-driven effort by IamGur-
gaon is working towards the greater avian good by planting na-
tive trees all across the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. It now has
more than 200 species. “We don’t use pesticides and ensure
there is good, naturally-suited tree cover,” says co-founder Latika
Thukral. “This brought back insects and, eventually, the birds.”
D
ELHI, MEANWHILE, IS WELCOMING the chirpy
house sparrow (see Return of the Sparrow). “It went
away because we closed our houses and hearts to them,”
says Rakesh Khatri, founder, Eco Roots Foundation.
The nests they make out of natural material like jute for spar-
rows have seen an adoption rate of 90 per cent.
More than governments and specialist communities, how-
ever, it is ordinary citizens whose awareness can be critical to
avian survival. Humans need to ask themselves a pertinent
moral question: are we the only species that deserves to be on
this planet? “We have a moral and ethical obligation to protect
birds,” says Santharam. “If not only because we have inherited
this planet and must make space for all life, then also because of
how much we enjoy birds—their song, their colours.”
Their aural and visual pleasure apart, birds leave an impact
on the planet in countless other ways. At the Thane creek, the
treated wastewater, rich in organic matter, is helping the fish,
and even the mangroves, thrive. The birds, in turn, forage on the
produce here. “We don’t know what will happen if there are no
birds in this well-established order of nature,” says Prabhu. For,
not only do birds help other elements in an ecosystem, they also
help one another. Woodpeckers, for example, excavate fresh cavi-
ties every year, which, in turn, provide nesting niches for other
cavity-nesters such as owls and hornbills. If woodpeckers go, so
will the other two. There are several such bird-to-bird linkages
we may not discover until it’s too late. “It is terribly important
to have a diversity of birds,” says Santharam. “A world with only
rock pigeons and crows will mean the loss of many important
habitats key to human survival.” Life as you know it will change
under a sky without birds. n
—with Rahul Noronha
 SEIZING THE
RANJAN RAHI

MOMENTUM Tejashwi
during his ‘Jan Vishwas Yatra’
in Muzaffarpur, Feb. 20

T H E N AT I O N | B I H A R

TEJASHWI SPREADS
HIS NET FAR AND WIDE
With Nitish Kumar having crossed over to the Opposition side,
Tejashwi Yadav pitches himself as the leader of the masses, promising
them economic and social justice as he traverses the state

By Amitabh Srivastava
 ON
an alternative to Nitish, whom he has described as “a man
with old thoughts and no new vision”. Soon after Nitish’s de-
parture, and taking oath again as chief minister of a govern-
ment in alliance with the BJP and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hin-
dustani Awam Morcha, Tejashwi took credit for honouring
his party’s pre-poll promise to create 500,000 government
jobs, saying he accomplished the feat in his 17-month ten-
ure—from August 2022 to January 2024—as deputy chief
minister. The Mahagathbandhan government, in which
the RJD held the key departments of education, health,
road construction and rural works, he claimed, employed
375,000 people and he had approved another 130,000
February 22, as Tejashwi Yadav finished his 20-minute- jobs in the health department before Nitish ditched them.
long speech at a public meeting in Siwan, a stopover 132 km Tejashwi is unambiguous about the demographic his pitch
northwest of Patna, during his Jan Vishwas Yatra across the is aimed at—the Bihar voter aged between 18 and 29, who,
state, almost everyone in the first few rows, young men all, at more than 17 million individuals, comprises one-fourth
shouted out a request. The message could have been lost in of the electorate.
the din, but the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader caught “Today, all governments in the country, whether in the
on what his audience wanted—to speak in the local dialect. states or the one at the Centre, cannot shift their focus away
And Tejashwi obliged, switching to chaste Bhojpuri to say, from the issue of unemployment,” Tejashwi goes on to say.
‘Rauaa logan ke aye ke baa’—please come [to Patna for And when the JD(U) derides him for taking credit that the
the March 3 rally]. On that day, a mega Opposition show, party thinks is undue, Tejashwi reminds them unequivo-
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to share the cally: “Why should I not take credit for what we have done
stage with RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(M) general as ministers? Though Nitish Kumar, as CM, headed the
secretary Sitaram Yechury. government, his was the No. 3 party. We are the single-
The words Tejashwi chose while speaking in Bhojpuri—a largest party in the current Vidhan Sabha.”
language he is not known to be comfortable in—demon-
strated the 34-year-old Yadav scion’s politically correct An Early Start
ways. He used ‘rauaa’, a respectable term to address the The young RJD leader recently concluded a 20-day Jan
elders in Bhojpuri, instead of ‘tahra’, which also means you. Vishwas Yatra from February 20 to March 1, covering 33
He also invoked kinship, saying he was a brother of Siwan, of Bihar’s 38 districts. The Leader of the Opposition was on
where he was addressing the meeting, since his father was the road despite the Bihar assembly being in session. His
from Gopalganj, the neighbouring district. early start came in the wake of an alleged apprehension,
Tejashwi’s impact on the masses, in every meeting he ad- which Tejashwi echoed on February 22, about the early
dresses, has been electric. A young crowd dissolution of the Bihar assembly and the
that occupies the front spaces cheers him CM’s plan to hold the state election simul-
constantly, holding on to every word he ut- taneously with the Lok Sabha election.
ters, repeating everything he says, clapping The intent was clear. Tejashwi wanted
and shouting slogans. Hundreds of others to hammer home his message about the
record his speech on their mobile phones. RJD’s priorities—bread and butter is-
At the end of every speech, Tejashwi
OUR OPPONENTS sues, and a vision for the youth. Like he
ties the RJD’s green gamchha around BLAME US FOR BEING did during the trust vote in the assembly,
his head, waves his right hand Gangnam THE M-Y (MUSLIM- when he demolished Nitish’s defence for
style, as the crowd reciprocates by mim- quitting the mahagathbandhan without
icking his action. Hearts won, approval YADAV) PARTY. BUT any apparent rancour, Tejashwi kept his
ratings up, it’s mission accomplished. WE HAVE BAAP ALONG approach during his speeches in the yatra
positive as well. Refusing to play victim,
The Tejashwi Formula
WITH M-Y. BAAP and ignoring how the JD(U) made three
If you thought the exit of Bihar chief min- STANDS FOR BAHUJAN, RJD MLAs switch sides during the trust
ister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) AGDA, AADHI AABADI vote, Tejashwi said, “Nitishji adarniya
from its alliance with the RJD, Congress the, adarniya hain, adarniya rahenge
and Left parties on January 28 would AND THE POOR. (Nitishji was worthy of respect, is wor-
have come as a crisis for Tejashwi, the
canny RJD leader has certainly turned it
OURS IS AN A-Z PARTY ” thy of respect and will remain worthy of
respect).” The civility is earning Tejashwi
into an opportunity to project himself as TEJASHWI YADAV goodwill as well as praise for his maturity.
RJD leader & Leader of the
Opposition, Bihar Assembly
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 43
T H E N AT I O N | B I H A R

assembly, but the party did manage to improve its vote share
THE TEJASHWI TRIAL to 23.11 per cent.
Another factor working in Tejashwi’s favour is that the
RJD’s core vote base has never deserted Lalu all these years,
irrespective of a series of electoral, political and legal set-
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS backs. The party’s traditional vote base of Muslims (17.70
 His Jan Vishwas  Dependence on per cent) and Yadavs (14.26 per cent), or the M-Y combina-
Yatra, covering 33 traditional M-Y vote tion, is the alliance’s biggest strength. But Tejashwi knows
districts of Bihar, bank, potentially this could well be the RJD’s Achilles’ heel too—his party
focuses on job limiting appeal in a does not seem to find favour with other major caste groups.
creation and youth bipolar contest in The M-Y support base, though demographically substantial,
empowerment, the upcoming Lok can be decisive only in triangular or four-cornered contests.
countering CM Sabha election In a clear bipolar fight, which is expected to be the case in
Nitish Kumar’s ad- the coming election, this may just not be enough. The RJD’s
ministration  A resurgent NDA, overdependence on the M-Y vote bank was clear in the
loss of key allies like 2019 Lok Sabha numbers when the RJD-Congress-RLSP-
 With an aim to win Nitish on the Lok Vikassheel Insaan Party-HAM alliance together bagged
public goodwill, his Sabha poll eve and
31.23 per cent of the vote—almost the same strength as
speeches during the Lalu not being in the
its M-Y electorate. Teamed up with Nitish’s JD(U), which
yatra refrain from best health make it
fetched the mahagathbandhan the additional EBC (ex-
playing the victim challenging to woo
tremely backward class) vote, the alliance packed quite a
card despite Nitish’s additional votes
breaking of alliance punch in the 2015 assembly election. Its alliance with Nitish
 Allegations of law- gave RJD the additional votes in 2015, taking the party’s
 On his agenda is lessness during the vote share to 44 per cent in the seats that it contested, and
redefining the RJD Lalu-Rabri regime helping it become the single-largest party in the assembly.
as a party for all, are being exploited
stressing economic by opponents to tar- A Party for All
and social justice nish the RJD’s image It’s not for nothing, therefore, that Tejashwi is casting his
net wide this time. In all his public speeches, he makes it
a point to dispel the notion that the RJD is a party of only
the Muslims and the Yadavs. At Siwan, for instance, he said,
The Roadblocks “Our opponents blame us for being an M-Y party. But let me
However, even as his yatra is a sign of Tejashwi seizing the mo- tell you, we have BAAP along with M-Y. BAAP stands for
ment, the RJD scion’s journey is far from over. For one, Nitish’s ‘Bahujan (majority), Agda (forward castes), Aadhi Aabadi
abrupt about-turn, barely a few months before the Lok Sabha (women) and the Poor. No one is left, ours is an A-Z party.”
election, has somewhat turned back the clock. The current Along with having to project the RJD as more than just
political situation resembles the one that existed in 2019, when an M-Y party, Tejashwi continues to battle the perception,
Bihar witnessed a bipolar contest in the Lok Sabha polls be- highlighted to the hilt by the BJP and the JD(U), of anarchy
tween the NDA, which included the BJP, JD(U) and Ram Vilas during the RJD years. To thwart the constant attempts by
Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party, and the RJD-Congress combine. the Opposition to remind voters of those ‘dark days of Lalu
With Lalu in judicial custody at the time, Tejashwi had raj’, Tejashwi, in meeting after meeting, puts economic and
led the RJD’s campaign. The party bagged 6.27 million votes, social justice front and centre of his agenda.
or 15.68 per cent of the valid votes, but failed to win a single In another sign of a clear departure from the past, none
seat, registering their worst show. The NDA, on the other of the family members of Mohammad Shahabuddin, the
hand, won a spectacular 39 of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. now-deceased don of Siwan, are present at his public meet-
To add to Tejashwi’s current set of challenges, two of their ings. This was unthinkable in the days when Lalu called
2019 alliance partners—the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rash- the shots in the party. The Bihar strongman had fielded
triya Lok Samta Party(RLSP) and the Manjhi-led HAM—are Shahabuddin’s wife Hena Shahab in three Lok Sabha elec-
now NDA allies. tions, in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
But then 2024 is not 2019, and Tejashwi has added several “Samay ke saath saath parivartan bhi jaruri hai (it’s
inches to his stature since. Just a year after the Lok Sabha poll necessary to change with time),” he said in Siwan. “There
debacle, Tejashwi took the reins of his party’s campaign for the was a time when we had STD booths. Then came the mobile
2020 assembly election in Bihar and led his party against the phones, but we still needed to visit shops to get a recharge.
formidable alliance of the JD(U) and the BJP, to have the RJD Now, we recharge our phones online. Purana zamana gaya
emerge as the single-largest party in the assembly. His alliance (the old days are gone).” So perhaps have old ties, one could
fell 12 seats short of a simple majority in the 243-strong Bihar safely assume. n

44 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
DEFENCE
BORDER AIRFIELDS

SWIFT TACTICAL
AIRLIFTS TO
THE BORDER
The Indian Air Force strengthens its ability to deploy at short notice men and
materiel to its northern borders, especially the one with China, thanks to an
expanding network of all-weather landing grounds, demonstrated most recently by the
night landing of an IAF C-130J transport aircraft at the high-altitude Kargil airfield
By Pradip R. Sagar

OF PERFECT LANDINGS
A C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft
of the IAF lands at Daulat Beg Oldie airfield
in Ladakh; inset, the landmark night landing
at Kargil airfield in January
ON
a pitch dark night on January 7,
2024, the Indian Air Force (IAF)
flew past a landmark achievement
as an IAF pilot, after months of
training, landed a C-130J Super
Hercules tactical airlift/ transport
aircraft at the Kargil airfield. With
its unidirectional approach—surr-
ounded by hills 14,000-15,000 feet
high, with limited manoeuvrability and reduced engine efficiency—
and short length of only 6,000 metres (as opposed to a normal one
of 9,000 m), the airfield is a challenging place to land for aviators in
daylight and good weather. To do so at night is notoriously tough.
The feat is a testament to the superior skill and training of India’s
military aviators. “You are landing close to the LoC (just 12 km
away) and at an ALG (advanced landing ground) that is very short
and challenging because of the altitude and the surrounding moun-
tains,” says a senior Air Marshal at the IAF headquarters in New
Delhi’s Vayu Bhawan. The pilot has to get inside the valley, manoeu-
vre the aircraft and then land. “If it is cloudy, he doesn’t even have
visual contact on his approach till he gets beneath the clouds.”
However, the significance of the land-
ing goes far beyond than the deserved lau-
rel of a milestone: it shows the increasing
capability of the armed forces to operate
all-weather operations with large trans-
port aircraft through the day and night at
such ALGs in close proximity to the Line
of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the
Line of Actual Control (LAC) facing China.
Couple the Kargil night landing with the
fact that similar IAF aircraft regularly land
at the world’s highest airstrip at Daulat Beg
Oldie near the LAC in eastern Ladakh, just
17 km away from the strategic Karakoram
pass, and a clear message goes out to
our two hostile neighbours—the Indian
military is battle-ready and can deploy
significant numbers of men and equipment
quickly in response to any situation.
OPERATIONS LIKE THE NIGHT
LANDING ARE INTEGRATED
WITH TRAINING FOR THE IAF’S
SPECIAL FORCES UNIT AND
WILL HELP IN ITS DEPLOYMENT
TO FORWARD AREAS
“Train pilots to push the aircraft to its
fullest extent and, in case of a contingency,
we can respond as close as possible to our
border areas,” says a senior IAF official.
Indeed, the IAF says operations like the
night landing are seamlessly integrated
with the training mission for the IAF’s
elite Garud special forces unit and will
help in sending it swiftly to forward areas.
However, 24-hour, all-weather landing
and take-off at forward airfields is a work
in progress and, with the emphasis on mili-
tary readiness shifting from the Pakistan
border to the LAC, the IAF has plans to
upgrade all existing and upcoming airfields
and air bases close to the China border.
Speedy completion of the task will im-
measurably enhance India’s rapid deploy-
ment/ swift response capabilities, allowing
movement of battalion-level strength with
tanks and artillery near the LAC where,
despite prolonged diplomatic and military
talks, the situation remains challenging.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE
WAR
Since the Chinese aggression at Galwan,
in eastern Ladakh, in May 2020, the Chi-
nese military has steadily built infrastruc-
ture near the LAC to accommodate higher
numbers of men and materiel and has no-
tably enhanced its airpower. The People’s
Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has
about 15 bases in the Tibetan Autonomous
Region (TAR). In addition, China has
upgraded air bases facing India, including
Hotan, Kashgar, Gargunsa, Shigatse and
Lhasa-Gonggar. Likewise, India’s troop
build-up has been accompanied by better
infrastructure and telecommunications. It
has also been modernising infrastructure
at forward air bases and ALGs, includ-
ing Thoise, Fukche, Nyoma and Daulat
Beg Oldie in Ladakh as well as Pasighat,
Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Along and Ziro
in Arunachal Pradesh on the Indo-China
border. The IAF, the world’s fourth larg-
est air force in terms of personnel and
aircraft, claims to be well poised, with
around 25 airfields capable of launching
operations against China.
In a response on airfield infrastructure
in Parliament in December 2022, Ajay
Bhatt, the minister of state for defence,
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 47
 DEFENCE
BORDER AIRFIELDS
Daulat Beg Oldie
Kargil
N
A
T
IS
K
A
P
MODERNISATION OF AIRFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE (MAFI)
Phase I (2011-2018) and Phase II (2020-): 30 IAF airfields
Resurfacing, expansion,
lighting of runways (CAT-II
Airfield Lighting System) for
night operations
stated that the second phase of airfield
modernisation—part of a dual-phase
project called Modernisation of Air
Field Infrastructure (MAFI)—is
underway. He said that a contract
for the project, worth Rs 1,187 crore,
was signed between the ministry
of defence (MoD) and TATA Power
SED in May 2020. Bhatt said the new
features and systems to be installed
will allow aircraft to take off and land
in adverse weather conditions, as well
as aid flights with night operations.
Phase I of MAFI involved the upgrad-
ing of 30 IAF airfields and was signed
on March 16, 2011, for Rs 1,215 crore.
Phase II involves airfields of the IAF,
the Indian Navy as well as the Indian
Coast Guard. The new features and
systems to be installed include CAT
II Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)
and CAT II Airfield Lighting Systems
(AFLS). These systems will allow
aircraft to take off and land in adverse
weather through the day and night,
thereby improving flight safety and
frequency of operations.
48 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
SPRINGBOARDS
FOR DEFENCE
Thoise
Leh The Indian military is upgrading these
Nyoma
forward air bases/ advanced landing
Fukche grounds for all-weather, 24x7 operations
Graphic by TANMOY CHAKRABORTY
CHINA
Tuting
Walong
Mechuka
Tawang Tezu
Ziro Vijaynagar
I N D I A Pasighat
Hasimara
Along
Installation of tactical air navigation These allow aircraft
system, system instrument landing to operate 24x7 in all-
system (CAT-II ILS), air-to-ground radio weather, poor visibility
communication (RCAG) system conditions
STRONG CARRIERS in 2011, the C-130J Super Hercules,
IAF’s fleet of transport aircraft the protagonist of the Kargil land-
includes the Boeing C-17 Globemaster ing, has distinguished itself in several
IIIs, the Ilyushin IL-76s, the Lock- tough missions—it carried out a
heed Martin C-130Js, the Antonov daring rescue of 121 Indians stranded
AN-32 / AN-32 RE, the Dornier 228 in strife-hit Sudan in April 2023,
and the HS 748 Hawker Siddeley landing at night on a small airstrip
(Avro). There are also the Boeing CH- at Wadi Sayyidna without naviga-
47 Chinook transport helicopters. The tional aids or landing lights and, a
latest entrant is the Airbus C-295— few months later on November 15,
which is equipped with the latest landed at the rudimentary Dharasu
sensors and avionics. These, then, are airfield in Uttarakhand to deliver
the aircraft that will shoulder the task heavy equipment needed for the res-
of transporting men and equipment cue mission at the collapsed Silkyara
swiftly at India’s all-weather airfields tunnel in Uttarkashi. Earlier, the
during any contingency. C-130—equipped with an all-weather
Inducted in the Indian military day-night capability with night vision
THE IAF IS OPENING
UP AREAS FOR QUICK
INDUCTION OF TROOPS. THIS
IS VITAL,GIVEN CHINA’S
BELLIGERENCE IN LADAKH
AIR VICE MARSHAL MANMOHAN
BAHADUR (RETD)
THE IAF’S DORNIER 228
TRANSPORT INDUCTED IN: 1986
STRENGTH: 50
FLEET Payload of 2.3 tonnes;
19-25 troops
C130-J SUPER
HERCULES*
INDUCTED IN: 2011
STRENGTH: 12
Made by US’
Lockheed Martin,
it has a 20 tonne
capacity: 92 troops/
64 paratroopers/ 2-3
armoured carriers
C-295*
INDUCTED IN: 2023
STRENGTH: Currently one, 15 more to
arrive from Spain; 40 to be made jointly
by Airbus and Tata
The Airbus C-295 can carry 9.2 tonnes;
up to 71 troops along with equipment
goggles (NVGs) and infrared thermal
imagery—was employed during evacu-
ation missions, including at night, from
conflict-hit Afghanistan.
Since acquiring the Super Hercu-
les, the IAF has pushed it towards its
optimum capability through a graded
approach. After being used in airfields
across India, they were used for opera-
tions in the high-altitude airfields in
Leh, Thoise and Daulat Beg Oldie.
Finally, they began landing at night at
these places. Not just the C-130J, the
IAF’s other transport jets, too, have
completed numerous sorties at Leh
and Thoise to meet the army’s needs at
forward posts.
A senior IAF officer claims that
though the C-130J was inducted over
a decade ago, the pilot night vision capa-
bility was added later. The IAF says that
with NVGs, pilots don’t need a moonlit
night—the usual practice earlier—to se-
cure a failsafe night landing. NVGs are a
gamechanger as far as dangerous night
landings are concerned, allowing pilots
to land even in total darkness. Though
HS 748 HAWKER
SIDDELEY (AVRO)
INDUCTED IN: 1964
STRENGTH: 57
UK-made aircraft with
*Capable of carrying capacity of 5.1
night ops tonnes; 40-58 troops
the IAF inducted NVGs in 2022, the
Super Hercules is the only aircraft to use
them regularly. Now, the IAF is provid-
ing NVG training to C-17 Globemaster
pilots; the C-295s will also have them.
The IAF’s fleet of helicopters, including
the Chinooks, are NVG-compliant.
SHOW OF INTENT
Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur
(retd) says that the Kargil night landing
was a capability demonstration with
long-term implications. It showed that
the IAF is opening up areas for quick
induction of troops and logistics. When
the Nyoma airfield in Ladakh is fully
operational, it will give an exponential
boost to the logistics support capability
of the IAF, he says. “These are vital re-
quirements, considering the belligerent
attitude of China in the Ladakh area,”
Bahadur tells india today.
Another air marshal says that no
air force except the IAF lands air-
craft regularly on such high-altitude
airfields as Kargil. China does have
high-altitude bases in Tibet, but usu-
ILYUSHIN IL-76
INDUCTED IN: 1985; STRENGTH: 17
Russian-made ‘workhorse of the
skies’. Can transport 60 tonnes cargo,
including men, equipment, vehicles
ANTONOV AN-32/ AN-32 RE
INDUCTED IN: 1984;
STRENGTH: 104
Tactical light transport aircraft
made by Antonov Design Bureau
of Ukraine, capable of carrying 7.5
tonnes of cargo/ 50 troops
C-17 GLOBEMASTER III*
INDUCTED IN: 2013;
STRENGTH: 11
Made by Boeing, it has a
capacity of up to 77 tonnes: 102
paratroopers/ 134 troops
ally relies on its extensive road/ rail
network for moving men and materiel.
In contrast, IAF planes land daily
on airfields in Eastern Ladakh, like
Thoise and Leh, most of which are
above 10,000 ft. “By landing at such
difficult places, it sends a message
to the enemy that a battalion can be
brought from anywhere in a matter
of hours. Besides, it demonstrates the
ability to resupply forces and evacuate
casualties, even at night,” says another
key IAF officer.
The IAF’s transport wing can take
inspiration from its forebear. On Octo-
ber 25, 1962, soon after the start of the
Indo-China War, the IAF airlifted 20
AMX-13 tanks to Chushul, in Ladakh,
in a Russian-made An-12 aircraft. The
first batch of tanks was loaded on to
the aircraft in Chandigarh on the night
of October 24–25; the second batch
was loaded the following night and
arrived in Chushul on October 26. The
tanks stalled the Chinese advancement
in the sector. The current fleet has that
achievement to live up to. n
M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 49
 ENTERTAINMENT
POLITICAL CINEMA

THE NEW WAVE OF

FROM THE ABROGATION OF
ARTICLE 370 TO THE GODHRA TRAIN
INCIDENT, HINDI FILMS ARE USING
DEFINING, AND OFTEN DIVISIVE,
INCIDENTS FROM THE IMMEDIATE
PAST TO SPIN OPINIONATED
POLITICAL NARRATIVES

BY SUHANI SINGH

IN
ADITYA JAMBHALE’S FEATURE directorial
debut, Article 370, two women are front and centre
in what’s shown as the government’s top secret
mission to abrogate Article 370 of the Indian
Constitution. One’s a gun-toting Kashmiri agent in
the National Investigation Agency (played by Yami
Gautam); another is a bureaucrat dressed in per-
fectly-pleated saris in the Prime Minister’s Office
(played by Priyamani). There’s no balancing work
and family here, just two ladies putting the nation
first. Until two men—namely the prime minis-
ter and the home minister—step in and steal the
spotlight in the last 45 minutes. Produced by the
makers of Uri: The Surgical Strike and Jio Studios,
Article 370 stands out, for Jambhale and writers
Aditya Dhar and Monal Thakkar place emphasis
on diplomacy and legal talk rather than cashing in
on action set-pieces. “I have always believed that if
you present the information well, there is drama in
it,” says Jambhale, an IT engineer-turned-filmmak- INFOTAINMENT FOR THE NATION
Clockwise from top: A poster of Bastar: The Naxal
Story; Yami Gautam in Article 370 and Anupam Kher
50 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
in The Kashmir Files
POLITICAL FILMS

THE YOUNGER
GENERATION WANTS
TO ENGAGE WITH
POWERFUL, EYE-
OPENING CINEMA THAT
MAKES THEM THINK
—VIPUL AMRUTL AL SHAH
Producer of Bastar and The Kerala Story

er. “Sometimes, its impact is bigger than a blast

and a firing.” Five days since its release on Febru-
ary 23, the film had collected Rs 32.60 crore at
the domestic box office.
Article 370’s success is hardly unexpected,
for it follows in the vein of The Kashmir Files
and The Kerala Story, two films that surprised
many as they earned Rs 200 crore-plus in India
and became part of the living room chatter. The
coming months will see more such tales that aim

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 51

ENTERTAINMENT
POLITICAL CINEMA
to prioritise informing, and not just
entertaining, the audience. March 15
sees the release of filmmaker Sudipto
Sen and producer Vipul Amrutlal
Shah’s latest collaboration, this time
for Bastar: The Naxal Story, a story
about the Naxals residing in the
Chhattisgarh district and the “lob-
bies” supporting them in cities, as
per Shah. The long-gestating biopic
of Veer Savarkar finally arrives in
theatres in March, followed by The
Sabarmati Report, about the fire
that engulfed the state of Gujarat in
2002. And Kangana Ranaut is sav-
ing her political drama, Emergency,
for after the general election.
The line-up represents a trend
in which Hindi filmmakers are
eager to take up hard-hitting issues
even if they may face accusations of
toeing a political line or have their
films banned in Gulf countries, as
Article 370 was. That these agenda-
laden narratives arrive months
before the Lok Sabha election and
in some cases show the ruling dis-
pensation in a positive light shows a
film industry that’s eager to appease
the political masters.
For Jambhale, what was missing
so far in the growing stockpile of
films “inspired by true events” was
a “proper political thriller” in the
realm of Zero Dark Thirty (2012),
the Oscar-nominated Hollywood
drama that tracks the behind-the-
scenes workings of the team that
eventually captured Osama bin Lad-
en. The complexities in the plot were
not a deterrent for Jambhale; the re-
search only convinced him to pursue
the film. “My whole intention was
that when a fifth standard student,
who perhaps doesn’t love history and
politics, will go to theatre and watch
it, he should know whatever he needs
to know on how Article 370 was
abrogated and narrate it, because
he understood it,” says Jambhale.
The other aim, he adds, was to make
“aspirational and cool” heroes out of
NIA agents and bureaucrats.
52 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
CALL IT THEIR
CINEMA VÉRITÉ
A biopic of Savarkar, Indira
Gandhi during Emergency or
Godhra—soon to be released THE SABARMATI REPORT
films are going where others Starring 12th Fail’s
feared to tread in the past
Vikrant Massey,
Raashii Khanna
and Ridhi Dogra,
this bills itself as
“a riveting journey
into the 2002
incident that left
an indelible mark
on the nation”.
The ‘incident’ at
Godhra railway station led to communal
riots. Release date: May 3
EMERGENCY
Kangana Ranaut’s
SWATANTRA labour of love,
VEER SAVARKAR which she has also
“I don’t hate Gandhi. I hate non- written, directed
violence,” declares Randeep and produced, is a
Hooda’s Savarkar. Also the big-budget political
film’s director and co-produc- drama featuring her
er, Hooda looks to settle the as Indira Gandhi,
debate with a biopic around a with an ensemble
divisive leader. Release date: cast. Release date:
March 22 June 14
MY WHOLE INTENTION WAS THAT
WHEN A FIFTH STANDARD STUDENT
WATCHES IT, HE SHOULD KNOW
WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO KNOW ON HOW
ARTICLE 370 WAS ABROGATED
—ADITYA JAMBHALE , Director, Article 370
ESCAPE FROM ESCAPISM knew there will be those who will say
Film-makers like Jambhale and pro- this [The Kerala Story] is a lie and
ducers like Shah believe the audience rubbish, but [we knew] the audi-
is open to stories that break away from ence will connect if they felt the film
the escapist fantasises that Hindi is absolutely true,” he notes. Shah’s
cinema offers and seek to enlighten opinion was validated when nine
them on contemporary issues. “They months after its theatrical release in
are ready to come out and see some- May 2023, the film made a stir again…
thing that is going to be eye-opening, this time on ZEE5, when the stream-
conversation-worthy and makes them ing platform announced that it had
think,” says Shah. “The young genera- crossed “150 million watch minutes
tion, exposed to world cinema, wants within its launch weekend” and was
to engage with cinema that’s power- also the highest viewed Hindi film in
ful.” Shah identifies “boldness and the southern region.
truthfulness” as necessary ingredients Emboldened by the response to The
for the films to succeed. “We always Kerala Story, Shah looks to push the
 ENTERTAINMENT
POLITICAL CINEMA
envelope farther with Bastar, which
covers events between 2007 and 2013
and also stars Adah Sharma. “So far,
in Indian cinema Naxals were shown
as Robin Hoods, doing good for the
poor and Adivasis. But the reality is
very different,” says Shah. “Bastar
will be far more hard-hitting. There
will be uncomfortable truths without
mincing words and political correct-
ness. Nothing is shown just for effect.
Let people decide on whether we are
lying or telling the truth.”
It remains to be seen whether
Shah’s upcoming film comes under
the scanner of the Supreme Court like
The Kerala Story did, after which the
producers had to add a disclaimer
that the film is a fictionalised account
of events and that there’s no authentic
data to corroborate its claims that
32,000 women were forced to con-
vert to Islam. Shah is one of the few
film personalities to show where his
own political allegiance lies. He says
the current government “has been
pretty liberal to whomsoever with
whatever film they wanted to make”,
unlike previous administrations.
“People tell me right now there’s so
much optimism and enthusiasm....
This is right time to make happy
cinema. But I am going to tell stories
that make you uncomfortable,” he
says. It should be noted that The
Kerala Story hardly took a line that
would miff the Centre. Instead, Sen
54 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
and Shah targeted the Communists
for ignoring the cases of Muslim
men wooing Hindu women and later
indoctrinating them into ISIS.
Films depicting the inconvenient,
dark realities inhabited by the nation
have always had an audience. The
1970s and ’80s parallel movement saw
the likes of Shyam Benegal, Ketan
Mehta, Gulzar and Govind Nihalani,
among others, hold up a mirror to
the grim truths of society. However,
the current crop of filmmakers takes
a less nuanced, more provocative
approach to lure viewers in. It entails
mocking a few politicians—with
names changed but the resemblance
Nine months after its
theatrical release in
May ’23, ZEE5 said
The Kerala Story
crossed 150 million
watch minutes in its
launch weekend
soundly established—in order to
draw laughs. The more controver-
sial the subject the more likely it is
to resonate. The more visceral the
fear on screen, the more discussion it
generates. “Such films tend to evoke
emotions like disgust, sadness, anger
and fear, which are very different from
positive emotions like joy, trust and
anticipation, which most mainstream
films evoke,” says Shailesh Kapoor of
Ormax Media, a leading agency which
tracks entertainment industry trends,
box office data and media consump-
tion patterns. Ormax’s data suggests
that the audience profile for films like
The Kerala Story doesn’t fit that of
regular watchers of Bollywood films.
“Many people who rarely or never
visit theatres went to watch the film
only because of peer conversations,”
he notes. “The audience don’t need to
be convinced while watching that this
happened. It’s the validation of an idea
which you have already believed to
be true. It doesn’t matter much if it is
factually correct.”
NEW RULES OF SHOOTING
Trade pundit Himesh Mankad cau-
tions that jumping on the ‘controversial
film’ bandwagon is not a “sureshot
formula” to plan a successful film.
“It only sells till the time it is unique.
Once there’s an overdose of anything,
it doesn’t work,” he says. It’s perhaps
why the big studios and stars have
thus far resisted making the overtly
propaganda film. “Once bigger names
are involved, the bigger the controversy
becomes,” he says. “The politics is risky
and you never can say what can back-
fire when.” Case in point being Fighter,
which, despite celebrating the heroic
exploits of an Indian Air Force fighter
pilot—played by Hrithik Roshan, no
less—in the Balakot airstrike and mak-
ing a punching bag out of Pakistan,
failed to breach the Rs 300 crore mark.
The producers know they need not
be dependent on a superstar or an ac-
complished director to set the project
rolling or get eyeballs. Mounted on
budgets under Rs 50 crore, films like
The Kashmir Files and The Kerala
Story have seen profits soar. They have
also reinvented the rules of market-
ing, with word-of-mouth publicity on
social media platforms like Facebook,
Whatsapp and X.
Jambhale, only 30, hopes that Arti-
cle 370 encourages more filmmakers to
broach topics that many presume don’t
lend themselves to cinematic treat-
ment. “These stories need to be told. As
opposed to a reporter, we filmmakers
can express opinions,” he says. “You
may differ with my opinion but, more
than politics, it is generating aware-
ness.” Those opinions, of course, need
to account for factual accuracy as much
as entertainment. For the time being,
the audience is hooked to the formula.
Political controversy sells, after all. n
EXCITING ODISHA
Discover the
New
Exciting new
initiatives and
developments on
the tourism front
in Odisha are
transforming the
visitor experience
and creating a world-
class destination.
N
estled on the eastern coast of
India, Odisha beckons travellers
with its myriad attractions,
inviting them to embark on a journey that
transcends mere exploration and evolves
into a soul-stirring odyssey. Welcome to
the enchanting world of Odisha, a state
that seamlessly weaves spirituality,
natural beauty, and cultural richness into a
tapestry of unforgettable experiences.
Several important new initiatives are
enhancing the visitor experience to Odisha.
On the spiritual front, these include the
awe-inspiring Shri Mandira Parikrama
Prakalpa and Samalei Project, testaments
to the harmonious blend of tradition and
innovation. Further enriching Odisha’s
spiritual landscape is the Nrusinghanath-
Harishankar Integrated Tourism
Development and Bakulban around the
Sakhigopal Temple.
Meanwhile, festivals like the
International Sand Art Festival and the
Konark Dance Festival add a vibrant
cultural dimension to your visit.
As the sun sets, the landscape
transforms into a canvas for luxury
escapades during the Eco Retreats of
Odisha. From the pristine beaches of
Konark to the golden sands of Sonapur,
these retreats offer glamping experiences
that blend creature comforts with
sustainability.
Odisha is catalysing tourism sector
growth through investment facilitation. 170
tourism projects, collectively amounting
to Rs 7,650 crore, have been approved.
Meanwhile, Odisha Travel Bazaar, a
flagship initiative of Odisha Tourism,
promotes Odisha as a one-of-a-kind travel
destination to domestic as well as foreign
tour operators.
Odisha Tourism has evolved
immersive experiences through the
culturally rich Odisha Walks, the
eco-sensitive Nandankanan Bird
Walks, and the numerous Eco T
Nature Camps spread across the
state. These initiatives showcase
Odisha
its natural and cultural treasures.
Join us as we unfold the
chapters of Odisha’s tourism
narrative, inviting you to explore,
that awaits you in this diverse and
captivating land.
For those seeking leisure
and recreation, Odisha boasts
vibrant new boat clubs that are
redefi
entertainment.
 NG ODI
TI

SH
I
XC
ENHANCING THE GLORY OF and pilgrims by creating an ambience of
spirituality. The project includes peripheral
VENERABLE TEMPLES development of the shrine, construction of
a heritage corridor, amenities for pilgrims,
Development works like Shri Mandir Parikrama improved access to the temple, and
Prakalpa, Samalei Project, Bakulban and development of the Mahanadi riverfront.
Nrusinghanath-Harishankar are dramatically improving The major objectives of the SAMALEI Plan
the devotee experience at these revered sites. are to celebrate the grandeur of the Maa
Samaleswari Temple; enhance devotees’
In the heart of spirituality and develop Puri into a world heritage city, to experiences; boost the tourism-based
ECO RETREATS OF ODISHA
tr citing glamping
event held every year at 7 exotic destinations across
Odisha. It has become the gold standard of eco-tourism,
with the retreats set up for the winter each year, leaving
no trace behind after the season.
With Eco Retreat Odisha, you can
plan your luxury escapade to the pristine
beaches of Konark, the Pentha beach in
Bhitarkanika National Park and to the
golden beaches of Sonapur. You can also
plan an adventure getaway to Hirakud
Dam and the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary
or take a relaxing trip to the quaint hill
stations of Daringbadi or Putsil, Koraput.
Eco Retreat is a seasonal camping
event in Odisha which offers luxury tented
accommodations at par with the best
luxury resorts apart from hosting a slew
of water sports, adventure activities, and
trails to key tourist destinations. The best
part is, true to the name, the Retreats are
absolutely eco-friendly. Developed as a
model for sustainable tourism, this event
is for those who believe in responsible
travel and tourism without compromising
on creature comforts. So shed those
travel inhibitions and gear up for the
Tiger Reserve and the glamping retreat is
camouflaged on the banks of the river next
to the sanctuary—a perfect destination for
anyone who wants to experience luxury in
the lap of nature. Do go on a boat ride on
the magnificent Mahanadi, and make an
exciting river safari of it.
ultimate glamping escapade in the lap
of nature. Glamping packages start at
Rs 7,000 onwards and
include 1 night stay for
2, inclusive of all meals
and 1 adventure activity.
Most of the Eco Retreats
feature accommodation in
Deluxe and Premium Swiss
Cottages. The Konark Eco
Retreat also offers Royal
Luxury Swiss Cottages and
the Presidential Suites.
KONARK
Set on the idyllic Ramchandi
HIRAKUD
Built across the mighty Mahanadi River,
Konark Sun Temple, this glam camp
the main attraction of this Eco Retreat
promises mesmerising views of the Bay
is Asia’s longest earthen dam, Hirakud.
of Bengal. Visitors are treated to cultural
Behind the dam extends a reservoir
performances and guided tours to nearby
spread over 743 sq. km. Nestled
destinations. For adrenaline seekers, there
between Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
is parasailing and other water sports,
and the reservoir, this glamping site
ATV rides, beach volleyball, etc.
offers an opportunity to explore Western
Visits to the Konark Sun Temple and
Odisha’s vibrant culture and delectable
Balukhand Sanctuary are a must as
traditional cuisine. Expect guided treks
is the ride to Golden Beach in Puri
into the sanctuary or find your wild side
which was recently re-certified as
with exciting water sports activities like
a Blue Flag Beach.
parasailing, jet skiing, banana boat rides,
etc.
SATKOSIA
Satkosia lies along the
BHITARKANIKA
cent gorge over the
An unexplored virgin beach inside a
. This biodiversity
National Park and some plush amenities
osia
thrown in—that’s the Eco Retreat at

the second-largest mangrove ecosystem
of India. Do not miss the opportunity to
go on a boat safari along the creeks of
Bhitarkanika to spot the birds. Go on
a kip to the nearby turtle sanctuary at
Gahirmatha Beach where the Olive Ridley
turtles come to nest every year.
SONAPUR
The southernmost beach in Odisha is
located on the confluence of the river
Bahuda and the Bay of Bengal, and is
one of the most exquisite beaches on the
east coast of India. Lounge on the beach,
enjoy some water sports activities or gorge
on delicious sea food. Nearby attractions
include the port town of Berhampur, with
its rich maritime history, Potagarh Fort,
Tampara Lake, and the famous Gopalpur-
on-Sea and Lighthouse.
Odisha’s thrilling
PUTSIL
tourism scene can Putsil in Koraput welcomes all those who
be best explored love to live among the clouds. Known as
by road. From the one of the most scenic spots in Odisha,
adrenaline-pumping this table-top mountain destination lies at
the base of the Deomali hill range of the
trails of the Eastern Eastern Ghats. Here you will wake up to
Ghats to the serene the gorgeous view of clouds gliding through
backwaters of the hills and valleys. Scenic attractions
Chilika Lake, there’s include Duduma, Rani Duduma Waterfalls
and lush green valleys; and there are
no shortage of interactions with indigenous tribal
adventures for thrill- communities.
seekers and nature
lovers alike. DARINGBADI
Daringbadi hill station is surrounded by
beautiful valleys and plateaus dotted
with pine forests, and coffee and pepper
plantations, making this campsite
Shri Devjyoti Patnaik incredibly scenic. Perfect for those looking
CEO & MD to luxuriate in tranquil environs, the
itinerary includes visits to Daringbadi
Jyote Group and
waterfall and Daringbadi coffee garden.
Superbike Enthusiast You can also visit picture-perfect
destinations like Belghar, Ushabati valley,
Putudi waterfall and Mandasaru.
BOAT CLUBS
With enhanced boating facilities and
upgraded boat clubs, destinations
like Cuttack and Hirakud now have
a lot more to offer to visitors.
Millennium City Cuttack has
embraced a new era of leisure and
recreation with the unveiling of the
Byanjana Food Court and Watersports
Zone at the Taladanda Canal Front and
the redeveloped Silver City Boat Club
in Cuttack. These are both Department
of Tourism projects which have been
executed by the Odisha Tourism
Development Corporation (OTDC) Ltd.
The revamped Silver City Boat Club now
features added Water Sports activities,
an Open-Air Amphitheatre, Food Court,
Children’s Play Area, Wooden Shack, and a
breathtakingly beautiful Glass Deck facing
the Mahanadi River. The Byanjana Food
Court at Taladanda Canal Front features a
diverse range of culinary delights, catering
to every palate. Visitors can savour a
gastronomic journey while enjoying the
tranquil waterside ambience. Adjacent
to the Food Court, the Water Sports
Zone offers a thrilling array of activities,
including Solar-Powered Boats, Shikara
Boats, and Zorbing Ball.
Meanwhile, Hirakud Boat Club
is an upcoming project on the world’s
longest earthern dam, Hirakud. Hirakud jetty to island and children’s play area.
Dam attracts tourists with its impressive The boat club at Hirakud will also
structure and picturesque surroundings. serve as a template for developing boating
Visitors can enjoy boat rides on the and boat clubs at the many dams across
vast reservoir, explore the panoramic Odisha. These boat clubs stand as a
viewpoints, and delve into the rich history testament to Odisha’s commitment to
of this engineering marvel. With the boat preserving its natural beauty while offering
club, Hirakud is set to transform into a modern amenities to its residents and
premier tourist destination. The Dam’s vast visitors. These developments are expected
waterfront, which is available throughout to generate job opportunities, boost local
the year, has immense tourism prospects. businesses, and contribute to the growth of
Water sports activity has been operational Odisha’s tourism industry.
on the right dyke of Hirakud Dam near
Jhankarani Temple in Burla. Water sports
like Jet Ski, speed boats, water scooter,
bumper boat, banana boat, kayak, paddle
boat and a day cruise are now available
for tourists at the reservoir apart from
the newly launched 40-seater floating
restaurant. As part of the proposed master
plan for Hirakud, it has been decided to
set up a boat club at the dam for tourists
with development of recreational facilities
and water-based activities at Hirakud
Dam with gated vehicle parking area,
vending zone, common facilities like toilets,
restaurant, shacks on the island, floating
 NG ODI
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CATALYSING TOURISM SECTOR
GROWTH THROUGH INVESTMENT
FACILITATION Odisha’s tourism sector
has witnessed significant strides
water sports facilities. One of
the notable outcomes of these
with the approval of 170 tourism
projects, collectively amounting to
an impressive investment worth
Rs 7,650 crore. These projects
encompass a diverse range
of offerings, including hotels,
convention centres, resorts, motels,
water amusement complexes
(WACs), amusement parks, water
parks, cruises, houseboats, and
SH
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XC
approved projects is the creation
of employment opportunities, with
an estimated 10,000 jobs expected
to be generated, both directly and
indirectly. In addition to project
approvals, the acquisition of
investible land around 22 tourism
sites in Odisha marks a strategic
move towards enhancing tourism
infrastructure.

ODISHA TRAVEL BAZAAR

Odisha Travel Bazaar, one of the flagship
initiatives of the Department of Tourism, is an
event that aims to bring together all the National
and International travel and tour operators, and
Destination Management Companies (DMCs) under
one platform to let them explore the various tourism
offerings of Odisha. The objective of Odisha Travel
Bazaar is to promote Odisha as a leading tourism
destination to both domestic and foreign tourists. This
year, to elevate the experience of DTOs and FTOs, the
outreach programme was conducted at Eco Retreat
Konark for the very first time. This un-conferencing
gave a one-of-a-kind chance to every participant to
discuss future avenues of Odisha Tourism.
 As a heritage enthusiast,
I have been conducting
guided tours and heritage
walks with the help of
Odisha Tourism to provide
tourists with an immersive
experience to unravel the
cultural wonders as well
as architectural marvels of
Odisha to the world.

Jitu Mishra
Heritage Enthusiast
 NG ODI
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SH
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ECO TOUR NANDANKANAN
NATURE CAMPS BIRD WALK
The Nandankanan Bird Walks offer visitors a
unique opportunity to explore the sanctuary's avian
wonders up close. These guided walks are curated
to provide nature enthusiasts, students, and tourists
with an enriching experience. Led by knowledgeable
guides, participants embark on trails that wind through
the forest, offering glimpses of indigenous plants,
medicinal herbs, and enchanting birds.

In the heart of Odisha’s natural landscapes lie a collection

of 35 eco-tour nature camps that stand as pioneers in promoting
sustainable travel experiences. These camps, nestled amidst the
region’s breath-taking wilderness, exemplify a commitment to
preserving the environment. For Eco tourists looking to experience
wild landscapes in a sustainable way, these nature camps are the
perfect getaways. .

I feel proud to be a passionate advocate

for Odisha and I have been showcasing the
unparalleled beauty and untapped potential
of this hidden gem to enthusiasts across
the nation.

Waibhav Choudhury
Founder,
Odisha Off-Roaders Community
FESTIVALS
Odisha Tourism’s annual
festivals are a great
window into the state’s
myriad offerings.
Odisha Tourism hosts several
festivals for tourists every year. Two of the
most prominent are the International Sand
Art Festival and the Konark Dance Festival,
celebrating, respectively, the artistic
prowess of sand sculptors and classical
dancers, providing a visual spectacle
against the backdrop of the iconic Sun
Temple in Konark.
International Sand Art
Festival
Held on the Chandrabhaga Beach
near Konark, the Sand Art festival is a
place where stories are made, where
the formless sand morphs into shapes
hitherto unimaginable. At the festival,
the immense beach becomes the artist’s
canvas. Visitors can see the exquisite sand
sculptures produced by highly skilled sand
artists from both India and abroad, from
countries like Mexico, Spain, Singapore,
France, Norway, Germany, Netherland
& USA. Not just the traditional sand
sculptures, you may expect sand, stone,
bronze or wood also incorporated into the
artwork. The International Sand Art Festival
was started in 2011 and is held at the
same time as the Konark Dance Festival.
Konark Dance Festival
This festival celebrates dance, music
and art in a venue where every stone has a
story to tell. The Konark Dance Festival has
been held on the poetic sands of Konark
since 1986. Held in December every year,
the festival attracts a bevy of tourists and
dance enthusiasts, who come to witness
the grand spectacle. Held in the open-air
 NG ODI
TI

SH
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XC

auditorium which overlooks the

Sun Temple, the festival enthrals
and bewitches the visitors. Apart
from being the one of the greatest
tourist events of the state, the
festival serves as a platform
for classical dancers in India to
showcase India’s cultural depth.
The leading exponents and dance
enthusiasts of almost all main
classical dance forms of India—
including Odissi, Bharatanatyam,
Manipuri, Kathakali, Kathak,
Kuchipudi and Sattriya—take
part in the five-day classical
dance event.
Odisha’s vibrant cultural
heritage, diverse landscapes, and
unique ecosystems converge to
offer an unforgettable journey.
Immerse yourself in the treasures
of this coastal state, where every
destination narrates its own
story, leaving indelible memories
for the intrepid traveller.
Tra vel Plus QUARTERLY

MANGROVE
CRUISE
TOURIST
TRAINS

The
Best Summer
Getaways The Hemis
ALAMY

Monastery
PERFECT HILL BREAKS WITH SPECIAL PLACES TO STAY in Ladakh
 Tra ve l Plus SHORTCUTS
QUARTERLY

SHUTTERSTOCK

Holy Wheels CRUISE CONTROL

Antara River Cruises—the same folks 3N/ 4D itineraries are on offer and
Two new train journeys aim to
who started the world’s longest the cruise is priced at Rs 25,000 per
transport tourists to the realms
river cruise in 2023—have launched person per night on double occupancy.
of spirituality. Palace on Wheels
Antara Catamarans, to traverse See antaracruises.com.
(above), whose itinerary typically
the Bhitarkanika mangrove wetland
takes in Rajasthan and Agra, will
in Odisha, also known as the mini-
ply a new route for the months of
Amazon of India. Two catamarans, MV
May and June, taking passengers
Mahanadi and MV Bhitarkanika, have
from Delhi to Ayodhya, Prayagraj,
been launched, and both are two-
Varanasi, Mathura and Vrindavan.
suite, state-of-the-art, sustainably
No non-vegetarian fare or alcohol
built vessels. The catamarans are
will be served on board and guests
capable of travelling at 5 knots per
will be regaled with religious
hour, and are designed specifically
melodies throughout. Meanwhile,
to explore the Bhitarkanika wetland.
Uttarakhand has announced
They are also India’s first hybrid solar
the rather more budget-friendly
electric and fuel-powered cruises.
Manaskhand Express tourist train,
set to operate from April, which will
spotlight lesser-known destinations
in the hill state. The train will run
from Kolkata to Kathgodam, from
where passengers will be taken by
road to destinations like Purnagiri,
Hat Kalika, Patal Bhuvaneshwar,
Baleshwar, Jageshwar, Kasar Devi,
Nanakmatta Gurudwara, and so on.

68 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
 Tra ve l Plus
QUARTERLY
On a Wing
and a Prayer
Trip to Temples—a
tour operator whose
tagline reads ‘Pilgrim-
age with Pleasure’—
has come up with an
innovative alternative
to the rigours of the
Kailash Mansarovar
Yatra. Along with
Nepal’s Shree Air-
lines, it has launched
aerial tours of Kailash
Mansarovar from
Nepalgunj in Nepal. No
visa or even passport
is necessary to do
the 2N/3D trip, which
starts from Lucknow,
Mansarovar, Mount Kailash South
and includes a group
hawan at the ancient and East Face, as well as Mt Api, Mt
Bageshwari Temple in Saipal and Mt Nampa. You also get a
Nepalgunj and a one- small bottle of Mansarovar jal to take
hour flight that takes back home. Contact: 8510007751.
in a darshan of Lake See triptotemples.com.
CAPITAL APP
If you’re a tourist visiting
Delhi, you cannot have a
better companion than Delhi
Tourism’s Dekho Meri Dilli
interactive tourism app (avail-
able on Google Play). The app
has been created to act as a
ready reckoner for travel-
SHUTTERSTOCK
lers, providing them with a
plethora of useful information
about the capital, its tourist
locations (including unex-
SHORTCUTS
plored monuments), impor-
tant contact numbers, etc.
The app, which is integrated
with Google Maps and Google
Lens, also provides informa-
tion on the best places to eat,
shop and stay within the city.
Best of all, it allows tourists to
easily book tickets for all Ar-
chaeological Survey of India
(ASI) monuments and Delhi
Tourism projects.
CLICK AND TELL
GUIDES TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
AND ENCHANTING DESTINATIONS
ALL ABOUT
TRAVEL
PHOTOGRAPHY
By Ashok Dilwali
National Book
Trust India
`1,295;
248 pages
The landscape photographer Ashok
Dilwali spills a lifetime of beans in this
handy guide to photography on the go.
The book is divided into three parts: a
quick introduction to travel photogra-
phy; general hints on how to improve
images; and—the meat of the book—83
stunning images by Dilwali and the
thought process behind them.
KASHMIR: Travels in
Paradise on Earth
By Romesh Bhattacharji
HarperCollins
`599; 264 pages
Romesh Bhattacharji started trekking
in Kashmir in the 1960s and, over the
ensuing decades, travelled to its remot-
est reaches. The splendour of Kashmir
comes alive through hand-drawn maps,
evocative descriptions and some pho-
tographs in this meticulously detailed
guide—a tribute to Kashmir and its
“long-suffering yet hospitable people”.
WILDLIFE IN AND
AROUND CORBETT
TIGER RESERVE: A Pho-
tographic Guidebook
By Rajesh Chaudhary
& Vinesh Kumar
Niyogi Books
`1,495; 400 pages
Through more than 1,500 images, this
comprehensive guidebook on Corbett
Tiger Reserve helps readers identify
about 700 species of animals and plants
found in Corbett and its neighbouring
forests. The route maps and pictorial de-
tails of each ecotourism zone provide a
virtual tour of the reserve, and will help
readers plan their trips better.
—Compiled by Amit Dixit
Tra ve l Plus
QUARTERLY

PANORAMA
 A Rugged Legacy
India’s official nomination for UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites
list for 2024-25 is the ‘Maratha Military Landscapes of India’. The
Marathas developed a complex fortification system between
the 17th and 19th centuries. There are nearly 400 of these forts
in Maharashtra today, of which 11—Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort,
Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad (in picture), Pratapgad,
Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijaydurg and Sindhudurg—besides
one from Tamil Nadu (Gingee Fort) are part of the nomination.
Distributed across a diverse geography, some like Salher Fort and
Lohgad are hill forts, Vijaydurg is a coastal fort, and Suvarnadurg
and Sindhudurg are island forts. True to their terroir, these majestic
sentinels from the past blend seamlessly with their setting.

SHUTTERSTOCK
 The Bungalow
1934, Yavakapadi

Yavakapadi,
Coorg, Karnataka
Located along a picturesque ridge of
the Brahmagiri range is the captivat-
ing hilly nook of Yavakapadi. Take
a break in the hills, read a book by
the brook or go on hikes to Baliyatra
Ridge, Mallamma Betta and Thadi-
yandamol, the highest peak in Ko-
dagu (Coorg). Stay at The Bungalow
1934, the erstwhile home of Diwan
Bahadur Ketolira Chengappa, the
first Chief Commissioner of Coorg.
The hilltop bungalow within a coffee
estate was run as a vintage homestay
for a decade by his great grandson,
rallyist Amrith Thimmaiah. After

10
Cool
a recent renovation, the bungalow
offers six spacious rooms, homemade
chocolates by Amrith’s mother Fancy
and authentic Kodava cuisine that

Summer
drew celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay
to learn pandi (pork) curry here. This
was where the Coorg leg of the India
episode of Uncharted Season 2 was
filmed. The main bungalow has four

Escapes
rooms while the old garage, where Di-
wan Bahadur’s 1955 Studebaker once
stood, was redesigned into two rooms
(Rs 12,000/couple, including break-
fast and dinner; lunch on request; call
Amrith at 9901315437 to book).
As summer comes knocking, plan your escape
Getting there: Fly to to these hill retreats with special places to stay
Kannur airport and drive 83
km to The Bungalow 1934 By Anurag Mallick & Priya Ganapathy

Tungnath, a rigorous penance and sev-

Uttarakhand ered his heads as an offering
to Shiva, and at Chandrashila,
At 3,680 m, Tungnath is the Lord Vishnu received the
loftiest of the Panch Ke- celestial Sudarshan Chakra
dars and the highest Shiva and Lord Rama came to atone
Chopta
temple in India. Located in for the sin of killing Ravana.
Resort
the shadow of Chandrashila Tungnath is a 4-km trek
peak high above the treeline from Chopta and a fur-
in Rudraprayag district, this ther 1.5-km hike leads
was where, as the myth goes, to Chandrashila. Stay Getting there: Fly to
the stars prayed to Lord Shiva at the luxurious Chopta Dehradun and drive
and achieved their exalted Resort in Baniyakund 216 km to Chopta
position in the sky. Ravana (Rs 7,000; 9758667755, in Rudraprayag dis-
gufa was where the king of www.choptaresort. trict; Tungnath is a
Lanka supposedly performed com). 4-km trek
58 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
Tra ve l Plus SUMMER ESCAPES
QUARTERLY

Garli, Himachal Pradesh a ‘lady’s curse’, the crum-

bling ancestral homes bear a
A heritage village in Kangra Valley,
European air. Rayeeson wali
Garli is known for the mercantile
kothi was the first mansion
homes of the Soods. As treasurers
built here, Santri wali kothi is
of the Kangra royals and contrac-
adorned with plaster sentries,
tors for the British, they helped
and Nalke wali kothi has a
set up Shimla, amassed fortunes
public tap in front. Stay at the
and built opulent homes. At a time
heritage home Chateau Garli
when the rest of India was still un-
(from Rs 5,500; 9418062002,
developed, Garli’s infrastructure
www.chateaugarli.com),
and town planning was leagues
constructed in 1921 by Lala
ahead! Abandoned in 1950 due to
Mela Ram Sud, and restored
by Yatish Sud and his son
Amish with ceiling artwork
and motifs hand-painted by
Amish’s sister, Tarini. The 19
rooms have period furni-

Beama, Ladakh
Overlooking a turbulent stretch of the
Indus past the icy blue Hanu Nallah,
Aryan Valley is home to the Brokpas
or Dard community (left). Literally
‘mountain people’, Brokpas are a
fascinating community. Their haunt-
ing songs accompanied by the daman
(kettle drum) and surna (oboe) trace
the journey of their ancestors along the
Indus to Beama, Dah-Hanu, Darchik
and Garkon. Visit Beama gompa and the
Dah Hanu museum, which is a repository of
artefacts, tools and costumes, offering insights Poolside view at Chateau Garli (top)
into their culture. Set within an apricot orchard,
Hotel Aryan Residency, run by Skidzum Lundup, is the ture and Belgian chandeliers
only hotel in the area (Rs 4,000; 9419179631, www.hotelaryanresidency.com). contrasting with stained-glass
Eat apricots off the trees and go on a village walk to discover the lifestyle of the windows, and a large outdoor
Brokpas. Try local fare like steamed tsampa (roasted barley balls), gantursh swimming pool equipped with
(buttermilk curry with greens) and chemush (apricot compote). underwater speakers! Savour
local fare and drive to Pong Dam,
Dada Siba temple, Kangra Fort
Hotel Aryan and the 8th-century Masrur
Residency rock-cut temples.

Getting there:
Fly to Leh and
take the Sri-
nagar highway Getting there:
to Khaltse, turn Located 4 km from its twin
right on Indus village Pragpur in Kangra
Valley Road and district, Garli is 47 km from
follow the Indus Gaggal airport near
to Beama, 179 Dharamsala
km from Leh
Note: All room rents are per night

M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4 INDIA TODAY 75

Log huts at the Mt Pauna Tourist Village, (right) a traditional meal at a homestay
Benreu, Nagaland
Perched at 1,950 m in the shadow of Mt
Pauna, Benreu is named after the ben
(hoolock) tree that draped the hill and reu
(river) or the local Kwadi stream that origi-
nates here. An old Naga village abandoned
six times before being re-established in
1860, it is shaped like the horns of the
mithun, radiating from a saddle along two
ridges. Each of the 14 clans has a morung
Dras, Ladakh
On January 9, 1995, Dras recorded the
lowest temperature of -60ºC, making
it the second coldest inhabited place
in the world. Thankfully, it’s more
hospitable in summer with carpets
of wildflowers welcoming visitors at
Manman Top. In 1999, Dras was the
battleground for the Kargil War and
the Indian tricolour flutters at the War
Memorial, with Tololing Ridge, Tiger
Hill and Point 4875 (Batra Top) in the
distance. Stay at Hotel D’Meadows
Ladakh, run by the affable owner
Shamim Qari (from Rs 9,400;
9419176373, www.dmeadowsladakh.
in). The movie Shershaah was shot in
and around Dras and producer Karan
Johar and crew stayed here. Watch
traditional Shina song and dance on
the lawns (inset) or witness a polo
match featuring hardy Zanskari
horses at the world’s second highest
shagaran (polo ground).
(male dormitory); Lungalang’s morung
is the best. Benreu is the base to climb
Mt Pauna (2,550 m), the third highest
peak in Nagaland. The 6-km, 2.5-hour
trek rewards you with sights of rhodo-
dendrons, orchids, mithun and birds like
Blyth’s Tragopan and Naga Wren-Babbler.
Travellers often start the hike at night to
catch the sunrise from the summit. Stay
in log huts at the Mt Pauna Tourist Vil-
lage (Rs 2,000; call Alieliu, guest house
Hotel
D’Meadows
Ladakh
Tra ve l Plus
QUARTERLY
SUMMER ESCAPES
convenor, at 9863366927) or
Gumsappe’s Homestay (Rs 800,
Rs 200-250/person for meals;
9436423408, 9402810142)
and explore the village with its
memorial stones, old gates and
views of the Barak River.
Getting there: Fly to Dimapur
and drive 86 km to Benreu; it
is 37 km from district head-
quarters Peren and 65 km from
capital Kohima
Getting there:
Fly to Srinagar
and drive 151
km to Dras; 271
km from Leh
Tra ve l Plus
QUARTERLY

SUMMER ESCAPES

Jaagir
Manor

Dudhwa, Uttar Pradesh

Unlike commercial tiger
parks, Dudhwa is an
offbeat wildlife desti-
nation in the terai or
A bird’s-eye view Himalayan foothills at
of Tamara Kodai the Indo-Nepal border.
Enjoy jeep safaris in
the 811 sq. km Kishan-
Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu pur Wildlife Sanctuary
Set up as a European sanatorium in 1845 separated from Dudhwa
by the American Madura Mission, Kodai- National Park by 15 km of
kanal is a welcome respite from the heat of agricultural land. The fertile
the plains. The thick Shola rainforests, the Indo-Gangetic plains sup-
purple kurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) port an astonishing diversity
that flowers every 12 years, and 17 trekking of fauna with pristine sal
trails make Kodai a paradise for nature forests. The park is mostly a crocodiles and 450 species of
lovers. The starfish-shaped lake forms the vast alluvial plain along the birds. Stay at Jaagir Manor,
town’s core with churches, hotels, restaurants tributaries of Mohana and an IHCL SeleQtions property
and numerous sights—Coaker’s Walk, Bryant Suheli rivers, interspersed (from Rs 20,500; 9871555141,
Park, the century-old Kodai Golf Club, Green with rivulets, lakes, marshes, seleqtionshotels.com) and
Valley View, Pillar Rocks, Bear Shola Falls grasslands and forests, explore both parks; book a
and the Kurinji Andavar Temple, dedicated where one can spot baras- jeep safari with local operator
to Lord Murugan/Subramanya, the Lord ingha (swamp deer), tigers, Gulab (8127332465).
of the Palani Hills. Stay at the scenic Ta-
mara Kodai on Upper Lake Road with a spa Getting there: Fly to Lucknow and drive 228 km to
and temperature-controlled pool (from Rs Dudhwa via Lakhimpur Kheri and Kishanpur
15,000; 8071077701, www.thetamara.com).

Getting
there: Fly
to Madurai
Airport and
drive 132 km
to Kodai

62 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
Common area and lawn at Tamara Kodai
 Aakar
Lords Inn

Tra ve l Plus Saputara,

overlooking
QUARTERLY the lake

SUMMER ESCAPES

Saputara, Gujarat
Gujarat’s only hill station, Saputara
lies in the hilly Dang district on
the Maharashtra border. Saputara
means ‘Abode of the Snake’; the Sar-
paganga river originates here and the
animist tribes worship stone totems and
Saputara no sap, a snake sculpture on
its banks. About 94 per cent of Dang’s
200,000 population is tribal, mostly
Bhils, Kunbis, Kuknas, Varli, Nayaka, cal instruments, tools, paintings,
Kotwaliya and Kathodiya. At 1,000 m, masks and dioramas of various
Saputara has all the trappings of a mod- tribes. Gujarat Tourism organ-
est hill station—lake, tableland, gardens, ises a Saputara monsoon festival Getting there:
waterfall, ropeway, church, a few shrines (left) and a paragliding festival 70 km from
and scenic lookouts like Echo Point, in December. Stay at Aakar Nashik airport; 52
Sunrise Point and Sunset Point. The Lords Inn Saputara (Rs 7,500; km from Waghai,
Saputara Tribal Museum has galleries 7377734777, www.lordshotels. the nearest
on terracotta figures, jewellery, musi- com) overlooking the lake. railway station

Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal’s hot new circuit
is the 14th Dalai Lama’s exile
trail marking his dramatic
escape across the Himalayas
from Lhasa to the northeast-
ern state in 1959. The route
traverses Chu-Dhang-Mo,
Gorzam, Shardi, Lumla-Tse,
Thonglek, Tawang, Dirang,
Bomdila to Tezpur from
where he departed for Mus-
soorie by train and set up the
Tibetan Government in exile
at Dharamsala. Nearly 80,000
Tibetan exiles followed his
path to safety. All the places
along the epic walking trail
have stone markers outlin-
ing the journey in Bodhi/
English. The Mandala India
Vision Festival in Novem-
ber at the serene Mandala
Pass (3,200 m), 30 km from
Dirang, showcases spiritual,
folk and modern music of
India. In Tawang, stay at the
swank new boutique resort
Timilo and try local delicacies
at their fine-dine restau-
rant O-Shum (Rs 15,000;
8532958233, 9233318910,
www.timiloboutique.com).

Getting there: Fly to Tezpur from Kolkata or

Guwahati and drive 143 km to Tawang

(Top) A room at Timilo, and its fine-dine restaurant

O-Shum, (right) the Tawang Monastery

64 INDIA TODAY M A RC H 1 1 , 2 02 4
 Tra ve l Plus Q+A WHAT ARE YOUR
QUARTERLY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS?
I am an over-packer.
Whether I am going on a

Slow Travel
three-day or a month-
long trip, my bag is pretty
much the same. I carry a
tripod with me, so I can

is the Mantra shoot content. I always

carry a small pocket light
that I can stick onto
my phone.
For actor Alaya F, travel is all about
unwinding—and checking out the
best restaurants

WHAT'S YOUR MOST

MEMORABLE TRIP?
During one summer vacation,
my mother [Pooja Bedi] decided
we were going to go on a big
Europe trip with my brother and
my mother’s best friend and
her two kids. Nothing has ever
managed to match up to that trip.
There is just some carefree-ness
and lovely childhood memories
attached to it.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE

MOST WHEN YOU TRAVEL?
Food! I like going to as many
restaurants as possible,
because on holidays you
are guilt free. I am not the
sightseeing sort; so packing
a trip with monuments and
museums is not my vibe. My
idea is to take it really slow.
Photograph by ARJUN MARK / COSMOPOLITAN

YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY

WHEN YOU TRAVEL FOR SHOOTS, DESTINATIONS?
ARE YOU ABLE TO MIX PLEASURE I love going to Kerala. There are
WITH WORK? always new aspects to explore, be
Sigh…I am one of those people who it a spa, a boat trip or just a stroll in
find it hard to find time for fun while Kochi. Goa is always reliable. After
working. Despite travelling so much Bade Miyan Chote Miyan releases, I
for shoots—I have been to London for plan to go to Bali, where a good time
almost all my films, for instance—I is guaranteed. And Spain and Greece
only end up exploring and enjoying are on my wishlist.
when I have time off during the shoot.
-with Suhani Singh

82 Volume 49-Number 11; For the week March 5-11, 2024, published on every Friday Total number of pages 84 (including cover pages)