THE MENTOR - PRIDE OF GIR

(Late M. A. Rashid, Chief Conservator Of Forest, Wildlife, Gujarat)

Being a keen wildlife and nature enthusiast for more than 30 years no, I work as a Professional Naturalist & Wildlife Consultant. My profession as a Naturalist and Guide is by choice and is cherished by me as it is no less than being on a vacation every single day. This profession has provided me plenty of opportunities to visit various destinations across the country and has educated me with the fact that India is a veritable storehouse of nature’s bounties with majestic snow-capped mountains, lush, green valleys and vast, fertile plains which makes it a kaleidoscope of tropical, temperate, alpine, desert, savannah, riparian and estuarine vegetation. It has 500 species of mammals and 2000 species of birds, which is about 1/10 of avian species known to inhabit planet earth.

It takes one inspirational person, an unforgettable experience, , a life changing event or a thrilling chapter in life that motivates one to do things which he ends up doing for a lifetime. I ws no different when it come to this rule as my 'Mentor' not just inspired me but in due course changed my perspective towards life by providing me with a vision of what turned out to be the purpose of my life. My passion for the wild and conservation was inspired by my 'Mentor', Late Mr. M. A. Rashid who also happened to be my 'grand uncle'. 

Born in Bombay (Mumbai) on 10th January, 1925, Late M. A. Rashid was the first Assistant Conservator of Forests in then the Bombay Forest Service. He was the Chief Editor of the ‘F.R.I. Editorial Board’ and then the ‘Dean of Indian Forest College’ between 1968 to 1972. With division of Bombay State into Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960 he was allocated the State of Gujarat. To begin with, he reluctantly accepted it but in due course he realised that he was very fortunate. Back then on record, Gujarat had 40 species of mammals and about 425 species of birds which included two most valuable and rare species found in the subcontinent, the ‘Wild Ass’ in the Little Rann Of Kutch and the ‘Asiatic Lion’ in the southern tip of Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat, the only place other than Africa to inhabit the indomitable Lion. Back then, it was through his contributions, hard work, sincere efforts and his painstaking sacrifices that Gir marched on to establish itself as the pivotal epicentre of wildlife destinations in the freshly declared State of Gujarat.

(Me with Late Maharaja Digveerendra Sinh Solanki of Vansda)

Often in conversations with me, his close friend and a famous wildlife conservationist ‘Late Maharaja Sahab of Vansda, Digveerendra Sinh Solanki’ would say, “Rashid Sahab was the ‘Bhishmapitmah of modern Gir’ owing to his innovative approaches towards the cause of conservation and revolutionary efforts to improve the state of the Gir National Park”.

Late M. A. Rashid is credited to have initiated and implemented the idea of water points in the deciduous Gir forest for the denizens during the unforgiving peninsular summer and the Devalia Park near the Gir NP where injured, ailing and rescued animals are given a home in a cordoned enclave open for visits in vehicles. It was during his tenure as Head of Gujarat’s wildlife wing from 1975 to 1982, the number of sanctuaries and National Parks in Gujarat increased from a mere four to fifteen. The Gir Lion Sanctuary Project by the State Government of Gujarat began in 1972, but it was under Late M. A. Rashid’s tenure that the project caught momentum. He was a member of the IUCN, 'Cat Specialist Group'. 

I was awe struck and inspired by Late M. A. Rashid’s works, aura of his personality and listening to the hair-raising stories in his company as well as his stalwart friends from the wildlife conservation fraternity who often visited him from Ranthambore NP, Corbett NP and elsewhere. Just a few years following my graduation, I expressed my desire to him over my wish to be a Naturalist some day and sought his help to begin my journey as a wildlife enthusiast. I reviled unto him that I wish to study the ‘felines’, more so the Tigers at the famous Ranthambore National Park. With a grim look and a faint smile, he responded with words that would be a lesson to me for the rest of my life.  He said “If all were to work in famous National Parks and Sanctuaries with hidden greed for fame, then who will care for the lesser known but equally important National Parks and Sanctuaries. Why would you want to learn and contribute for wildlife elsewhere when you’d have no concern for wildlife in your own backyard”. This is when he suggested that I study and learn the behaviour of the mesmerising feline, the Leopard in the wild at the ‘Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary’, about 70 kms from Baroda (Vadodara) city where we lived in Gujarat.

History repeats itself; as I reluctantly began frequenting the Jambughoda Sanctuary, with the same reluctancy as my mentor did in 1960 when he was allocated the State of Gujarat following the division of Bombay province and in similar run of events in due course, I figured out that it was not a bad idea at all. Under the patronage of my mentor, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary became my first school on wild and I frequented it for 15 years following, tracking, studying, observing & sketching the Leopard. Simultaneously I absorbed the natural behaviour of the Sloth Bear, Hyena, Chausinga Antelope, Porcupines, Pythons, Flying Squirrels and the local Flora of the sanctuary. Being my first school of Natural History, I do carry the moral responsibility of promoting the Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary to this day through tourism, conservation drives, education and awareness.

In due course of time, Late Rashid Sahab encouraged me to visit the Gir National Park and study the Asiatic Lion, Ranthambore and Corbett NP and study the Royal Bengal Tiger there. Through repeated visits I absorbed whatever knowledge I could on the natural behaviour of mammals, especially the ‘felines’, along with birds, reptiles and flora. My enthusiasm to explore Nature and Wild graduated me as a snake & crocodile handler and rescuer and provided me with the privilege of being invited to various animal, bird and reptile censuses in Gujarat and elsewhere. This never-ending enthusiasm also nurtured me into a tour organizer to various reserves, sanctuaries and National Parks.

A true ‘Ustaad’ or a mentor does not restrict his role as an inspirator, but he nourishes his ‘Shagird’ or disciple with knowledge. He lent me books on Natural History, one at a time, from his unbelievable ‘Wildlife & Conservation Collection’. I would read these books by the greats with the likes of Jim Corbett, Kenneth Anderson, George Schaller, Stanley Jepson, Joy Adamson, Dunber Brander, Salim Ali and many more who would paint these word pictures of the beautiful pristine forests in front of my eyes and entice me to be a part of these forests. He would project hundreds of slides on a white screen as we would sit for hours and see his first hand shot pictures of the wildlife with a point & shoot camera of the 1970’s, with pictures of Lions shot by him from as close as 8 feet, while on feet.

(The Book 'The Asiatic Lion' authored by Late M. A. Rashid)

A decade following his retirement in 1992, he penned the first and most informative book on the biodiversity of Gir National Park titled ‘The Asiatic Lion’ which was published by the Gujarat Forest Department in collaboration with Department of Environment, Government of India. This book is no less than a ‘Bible on the Asiatic Lions’ and through the following years more than 100 authors have published books on the Asiatic Lions through reference and quotes from this book. The book covers a detailed description on,

1)      Lion in Mythology, Art & Folklore

2)      World distribution of lions

3)      Origin, Past and Present distribution of Lions in India.

4)      Difference between the Asiatic Lion and the African Lion.

5)      Biodiversity and Topography of Gir

6)      Maldhari’s, Siddi’s & Shikari’s of Gir

7)      Reasons of Extinction of Asiatic Lion from India

8)      Unforgettable contributions of Nawab Rasul Khanji Babi

And much more.

(An obituary published by Sanctuary Asia Magazine & written by Late Maharaja of Vansda)

Unfortunately, on the 6th December 2007, this 'Lion' of the Conservation cause ‘M. A. Rashid’ breathed his last and his soul departed for Heavens while I watched him from his bedside at the hospital in Baroda.  The fraternity lost a champion, a ‘Lion Hearted’ man with majestic personality who enjoyed the ‘Lion’s Share’ of proximity with the Asiatic Lions of Gir. Following month his obituary was penned by Late Maharaja Sahab of Vansda, Shri Digveerendra Sinh Solanki and the published in the widely circulated Conservation magazine ‘Sanctuary Asia’.

I inherited all his Natural History Collections along with his Books, Slides, Souvenirs & Projector which are my cherished possessions to date.