Tigers, Bandhavgarh National Park, India

Sujan will be familiar to many of you who have travelled with us to the Indian subcontinent over the past decade. He's a larger than life character, with a perpetual glint in his eye, an infectious smile and a wonderful sense of humour! His passion for wildlife, and particularly birdwatching, has taken him all over the world and has led to his involvement in various biological surveys and projects in India. He also has a deep knowledge and appreciation of British culture, despite never having visited the UK! In between game drives and birding walks on the 2019 Naturetrek Wildlife Festival at Reni Pani Lodge, Satpura National Park, I had the chance to catch up with him ...

When and how did your interest in wildlife begin?

“My interest in wildlife goes back to my childhood days. At a very young age, I used to visit the Kolkata Zoo every Sunday morning. Much later, I had access to some wildlife books from our school library and I also joined the school’s Nature Club, affiliated to WWF-India. At that time, my interest was primarily endangered mammals. Access to the British Council Library opened up another treasure trove of natural history books and my parents furthered my interest by buying me my own wildlife books (which was rare in those days) and also by taking me to a few of the national parks and sanctuaries during our annual travels. Later, while in high school, I joined a local club where my interest in birds grew and I got to travel, doing more birdwatching with my peers.”

When and where was your first tour leading assignment for Naturetrek?

“A friend of mine, Abhijit Sarkhel, used to work closely with Naturetrek as a tour leader. He was looking for someone who would be interested in leading a trip to Namdapha, the easternmost Tiger Reserve in India. This was way back in 2005. Eventually, after an interview with the ‘India boss’, I was entrusted with leading the trip. That was my first trip with Naturetrek. It was a small group of three people but a very enjoyable trip in challenging terrain and conditions.”

What is, or was, your ‘day job’?

“I used to work in my family business, running a printing press. I now guide tours for at least 7 months of the year, and also spend a lot of free time visiting new destinations.”

What other interests do you have outside of wildlife?

“My primary interest is still wildlife and seeing more new places. Other than that, I am keen on cuisine (I am a foodie!) and have an interest in anthropology. The Naturetrek tour to Burma fulfils all these criteria and gives me the opportunity to share the amazing landscapes, great wildlife, fascinating culture and exotic cuisine with my guests!”

What current conservation projects or issues most interest or concern you?

“Having worked with conservation for several years, I have a number of concerns. Globally, climate change concerns me and I know there is no escape from that, along with the loss of wildlife habitats due to change in land-use priorities. Closer to home, I am worried about the destruction of our wetlands.”

Do you have a favourite bird, mammal or plant?

“Elephants are my favourite. I saw my first wild one in Kaziranga in Assam nearly 35 years ago, and I have had the great privilege of seeing them many times since, on numerous Naturetrek trips, especially during the Bhutan, Manas & Kaziranga tour where we make several visits to Kaziranga. They always bring a smile to my face.”

What is your most memorable wildlife encounter to date?

“It’s difficult to pinpoint just one but I do especially remember a sighting from the 2013 Brahmaputra cruise trip. We were in the middle of lunch, when a Tigress was spotted, walking along the bank of the Brahamaputra River. It was such a rare occurrence that we actually turned our massive boat around and cruised alongside the Tiger. She kept walking along beside the water as we sailed upstream along with her, until she decided to disappear in the grass. I don’t know if I have ever been more excited regarding any other sightings. Another instance would be spotting Snow Leopards in Ladakh, where we had to beat the altitude and the cold in the search for the ‘Grey Ghost’ – our first sighting was absolutely fantastic.” 

What do you enjoy most about leading wildlife tours?

“I love my wildlife travels, they always take me to great places – like the tranquil section of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, which is a magnet for wildlife! Of course, I also get to meet lots of people who share the same interests, and I love the evening banter when we discuss the day’s sightings!”

What new destination would you most like to travel to next?

“I have always wanted to see penguins and Leopard Seals, so I would love to visit Antarctica.”

Which three people would you invite to dinner?

“David Attenborough would be my first choice, as his books and programmes have inspired me since my younger days, and I love his way of presenting wildlife and biology. Our Environment Minister – he has a huge task to save our wildlife and environment and perhaps if he talked to David Attenborough something good would come out of it. And I would also like to invite James Herriot, the Yorkshire vet, just for his crazy stories about treating sick animals.”

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