Conservation India (CI) – is a non-profit, non-commercial web portal exclusively devoted to enabling wildlife conservation in India. CI provides reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively.

In a few years since launch, CI has grown to a readership of more than a million, and provides a technology-enabled platform for mass collaboration. CI has helped galvanise several urgent campaigns addressing grave conservation threats in the country.

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Mr Sreenivasan’s impact through Conservation India can be recognised through the several campaigns launched by CI during his tenure. As noted by Prasad Ramamurthy in his eulogy for Mr. Sreenivasan,

“Ramki’s most famous win might well be bringing an end to the hunting of Amur falcons in Nagaland. In 2011, Ramki, as part of a birding group, teamed up with journalist and conservationist Bano Haralu (now managing trustee of the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust) to conduct a state-wide survey of birds and other wildlife for the Nagaland government. The survey, among other things, yielded information on the indiscriminate hunting of Amur flacons when they came to roost there while migrating from Siberia to Africa. The following year, the team returned to the Doyang reservoir in Nagaland. Their investigation found evidence that nearly 140,000 Amur falcons were being hunted each year for their meat. Immediately, they launched a campaign that spoke to government officials at the national and local levels, and to community elders of the villages where the hunting prevailed. The result was a full implementation of the ban on hunting Amur falcons. And a move to change the attitudes of locals — from being hunters to the birds’ guardians.”

There were other headline grabbing initiatives such as the Indian Coast Guard’s attempt, in 2012, to set up a radar installation on the island of Narcondam, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The tiny island is home to an endemic species of hornbills (about 300 in 2012), that experts believe might be threatened by the presence of humans. Conservation India spearheaded an awareness campaign, which along with media attention, resulted in the project being halted.

Other notable campaigns from Conservation India include:

Flamingo City campaign – The road proposal, whose ecological damages CI highlighted in this campaign, was unanimously and strongly rejected by all members of the MOEF constituted Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on June 6th, 2013. The project was rejected on grounds that it would have a fatal impact on the fragile ecology of the Kutch region, particularly the nesting site of flamingoes, which it was feared would be abandoned spelling doom to the entire population of these birds in the Indian subcontinent.

Great Indian Bustard Campaign – CI is pleased to inform you that Rajasthan, the largest stronghold of the Great Indian Bustard, became the first state to announce a plan to recover its critically endangered state bird bird. On June 5th, the state announced a Rs. 12 crore ‘Project Great Indian Bustard’, which is to be initiated this year.

We applaud the government of Rajasthan for its momentous decision, and hope that other GIB range states will follow its lead. Conservation India thanks the over 1000 readers who wrote to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan expressing their concern. We also thank Rajasthan’s Forest Minister, Bina Kak, for her leadership in this matter. CI will track the implementation of this project and post updates from time to time.

Campaign for a Credible National Board for Wildlife – CI wishes to thank over 3000 concerned citizens who wrote to the Minister of Environment, Forests & Climate Change urging him to constitute a credible National Board for Wildlife. As part of a physical letter, CI has compiled the names of all the signatories and sent it to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, who chairs the NBWL, with a copy to the Minister of Environment & Forests. Thanks for your ongoing support!

Protest against Plastics

Hessarghatta grasslands campaign

Baghjan Oil Spill – On 13th June, a PIL was filed in the Gauhati High Court against the centre’s approval to OIL for digging seven more hydrocarbon wells inside Dibru Saikhowa National Park, jointly by advocate Mrinmoy Khataniar and mountaineer Amar Jyoti Deka. However, in a bizarre turn of events, the court deferred the hearing (due for 23rd June) because the bench did not receive the complete application. It turned out, the High Court Registry did not send the originally filed 268-page petition, but an incomplete 78-page substitute. The hearing was postponed by the court and is likely to be heard on 13th July.

The petition also pointed out that if the company is allowed to go ahead with the drilling, situations like Baghjan’s gas well tragedy can take place there also, thereby threatening the national park.

Ramki’s work has been mentioned and covered in several reputed publications

• https://www.fortuneindia.com/technology/glorious-bustards/100508
• https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/world/asia/falcon-hunters-become-fervent-preservationists.html
• https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/days-and-nights-in-the-forest/article4840538.ece
• https://www.forbesindia.com/blog/economy-policy/protecting-wasteland-can-save-manyspecies-of-animals/
• https://br.financas.yahoo.com/fotos/in-nagaland-foes-turn-friends-for-endangered-amur-falcons-slideshow.html
• https://www.indiatimes.com/sports/man-quit-job-to-save-the-amur-falcon-endangered-bird-556530.html
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/environment/vijay-cavale-bengaluru-s-favourite-bird-man-did-not-believe-in-making-nature-a-commodity/story-Md5y7FAP1bDe8q3LPQQmOJ.html
• https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/100616/care-don-t-scare.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/environment/terra-india/2013/nov/12/amur-falcon-saved-by-indian-villages

Ramki Sreenivasan himself published plenty of his work in reputed newspapers and magazines. Some of his work can be found below:

• https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/on-the-red-panda-trail-11570793505967.html
• https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/TwoWnA0wJmh8DulPVNWAFK/Dont-blame-the-tiger.html
• https://openthemagazine.com/essays/true-life/the-killing-fields-of-falcons/
• https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/6bc5lQDjsvJ8PelnS4KfTO/Photo-essay–Saving-the-worlds-rarest-shorebird.html

Ramki Sreenivasan’s passing was covered by several newspapers:

• https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/wildlife-photographer-ramki-sr eenivasan-passes-away-1172939.html
• https://roundglasssustain.com/heroes/ramki-sreenivasan
• https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2022/Dec/19/conservation-journalist-ramky-passes-away-activists-mourn-2529520.html
• https://jlrexplore.com/explore/explore-pulse/in-memory-of-ramki-sreenivasan

Nagaland’s Chief Minister grieves R. Sreenivasan’s death

https://x.com/Neiphiu_Rio/status/1604451736843739136?s=20

https://twitter.com/BNHSIndia/status/1604494230315204609

Award named in Ramki’s honor

Ramki Sreenivasan’s website