NDTV-Aircel 'Save Our Tigers' observes World Tiger Day

The event acknowledged the success of the campaign as well as felicitated people who have done exemplary work on the ground for India's wildlife

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | July 31, 2015

In 2006, the tiger population was reported at 1,411, in 2010 the count went up to 1,706 and in 2014 the tiger population went up to 2,226.

To celebrate this increase in tiger population, NDTV-Aircel 'Save Our Tigers' campaign in its fourth year organised a special event on the occasion of World Tiger Day. Launched in March 2010, the campaign is aimed at spreading awareness about the state of the big cats in the country. Running successfully for over three years now, the campaign has received great support and response from people across India. Minister of State of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar supported the cause, along with Bollywood actress Dia Mirza and singer Kailash Kher. The event acknowledged the success of the campaign as well as felicitated people who have done exemplary work on the ground for India's wildlife.

As part of the fourth edition, a panel discussion hosted by Vikram Chandra and Swati Thiyagarajan, Environment Editor, NDTV, was organised with eminent wildlife and tiger experts in New Delhi. The panelists included Bittu Sahgal, Founding Editor, Sanctuary Asia; Anish Andheria, President, Wildlife Conservation Trust; Vivek Menon, CEO, Wildlife Trust of India; Bishan Singh Bonal, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority; Dr YV Jhala, Wildlife Institute of India; and Qamar Qureshi, Wildlife Institute of India.  Photos by renowned wildlife photographers were on display to showcase various facets of the big cat.

On World Tiger Day, Vikram Chandra, Group CEO, NDTV, said, “India is home to 70 per cent of the world's tigers today. We have had a 30 per cent increase in tiger numbers in the last five years. The NDTV-Aircel campaign, assisted by both Sanctuary Asia and Wildlife Conservation Trust, believes in shining the spotlight where credit is due. Our ground forces in the various tiger reserves around the country, tiger biologists and conservationists stay committed to spreading awareness. Their focus on the future challenges has led to the increase in numbers that were created from a growing man-animal conflict, management of tiger population and the forests and corridors that lie outside protected areas and yet are home to hundreds of tigers, both resident and transient.”

Speaking on the occasion, Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel, said, “Aircel has been passionately working towards the cause of tiger conservation for several years with noted conservationists and expert organisations, canvassing support from people all over the country. Our initiative, 'Save Our Tigers', travels to the remotest parts of the country with various focused programmes and has touched millions of Indians through its journey so far.”

NDTV and Aircel joined hands to launch the NDTV-Aircel Save Our Tigers campaign in March 2010 with the aim of spreading awareness about the state of the big cats in the country and the crisis they were in. The campaign is supported by Amitabh Bachchan, 'Sanctuary Asia', India's premier wildlife magazine and the Wildlife Conservation Trust, an organisation involved in conserving tiger habitats across the country.

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