New Delhi, May 31: India's most renowned tiger conservationist Valmik Thapar passed away at his Kautilya Marg residence in the national Capital on Saturday morning after battling cancer for a long time.

Widely known as India's ‘Tiger Man’, Thapar, 73, was part of over 150 committees of both central and state governments.

Thapar, a major figure in India’s conservation efforts, spent 40 years pushing for wildlife conservation and co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988, a non-governmental organisation focussed on community-based preservation of wildlife.

He fought for stronger anti-poaching laws and the preservation of natural tiger habitats.

The environmentalist's father, Romesh Thapar, was a noted journalist.

Thapar married theatre artist Sanjana Kapoor, and they were blessed with a son, Hamir.

The environmentalist was inspired by Fateh Singh Rathore, a renowned Indian conservationist and a key member of the Project Tiger team.

Notably, Thapar's famous relationship with 'Macchli', a female tigress, is documented in some of his works.

Thapar, who served as a member of the Tiger Task Force of 2005 in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, had opposed the majority Task Force view, which was optimistic about the co-existence of tigers and humans.

Soon after Thapar's demise, condolences started pouring in.

Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh expressed grief over his demise, saying it is a great loss.

Jairam Ramesh posted on the social media platform X, "Valmik Thapar, a legendary figure in the world of conservation over the past four decades, especially tigers, has just passed away. It is a great loss."

"Today's Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal. He was uncommonly knowledgeable on a variety of issues relating to biodiversity, and not a day passed during my Ministerial tenure without our talking to each other, with me almost always at the receiving end. During my tenure as chairman of the standing committee also he was also a constant source of many valuable suggestions and advice. We had arguments, but it was always an education to listen to him, full of passion and concern," he wrote on X.

The Congress leader said Thapar was truly an unforgettable one-of-a-kind.

Expressing grief over Thapar's demise, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended condolences to his family, friends, wildlife enthusiasts and the conservation community.

"Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of noted conservationist, author and naturalist, Valmik Thapar. A leading authority on Tiger conservation, he was one of India's most respected wildlife experts and was appointed a member of the Tiger Task Force of 2005. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, wildlife enthusiasts and the conservation community," Kharge's post on the social media platform X read.

Thapar will be cremated at the Lodhi Electric Crematorium at 3:30 this afternoon.

(IANS)

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