Thanks for your concerns!

Good to remind us that you have been around for 2 years here. Pointing a finger is easy. However, one should remember that when someone points a finger, three fingers point back at him. Let us know what have you done?

Though you may not be aware, or care to notice, people here know the contribution of IndiaWilds.

Membership of the IndiaWilds forums is free. There have been many wannabe photographers who have come, learnt photography here and have gone. What have they done for conservation or for contributing towards building this community? Except for remarks like this?

Whenever we have done any campaign and wrote letters to the authorities, I see very less response from these photographers. I am told that many photographers don't want to write protest letters to authorities, as they fear they may be on the bad books of the forest officials. The person (or persons) questioning IndiaWilds so called lack of action in conservation field, should first mention how many times he (they) wrote letters? There are other members who are not active but send the letter and copy mark me.

Every month the newsletter highlights an issue and it goes to people. That is being beefed up with original articles by biologists and conservationists. I haven't seen your comment in any of those articles. Probably, you don't read those?

The efforts to create films is primarily meant to document and raise issues. A "Call in the Rainforest" is the first such effort, which has been screened even in film festivals abroad and in India. I am sacrificing my photography to create films and raise awareness. The money I have spent could have been utilised in photographing in bandhavgarh/ranthambhore etc 3-4 months at a stretch for a few years. That would have got me several oohs and aahs. To me it doesn't matter.

In the past I have thought of having field offices. That costs a ton of money. I am a person who doesn't believe in firing people. When livelihoods of people depend on me, I will ensure that their future is secured. That is the positive (or you may say negative) part of my leadership philosophy. IndiaWilds will do a lot of field work. However, the immediate need was in advocacy which we are doing. We will take slow and deliberate steps. No amount of sarcastic comments like yours, can make me jump and do things which is not sustainable.

Perhaps you are too young to understand that someone has a mission in life. IndiaWilds is such a mission which will continue to grow steadily.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi


Quote Originally Posted by Bhargava Srivari View Post

Now, I really appreciate the website's intentions of putting up some serious conservation effort in future and hope to see that happen soon. However, I have been hearing this for quite some time now, precisely 2 years.

Regards