MUMBAI: The safari hat replaces the surgical cap often. One such time made Dr Ramakanta Panda drink six to seven litres of water. Armed with his heavy army-fatigue-shrouded long lens, the cardiac surgeon had just spent over seven hours under an unforgiving Madhya Pradesh sun. But the tiger—one of the many striped royals of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve—refused to wake up. Exhausted, the conservator accompanying Panda suggested they head back but the doctor, who had once spent 16 hours in the operation theatre fixing a heart that had 17 blocks, coaxed her to stay just a few minutes longer. What followed was a moment she hadn’t seen in her 20 years of work in the forest. Eyes still closed, the predator arose, stretched its paws and hoisted its hind, as if executing a sun salutation.
Captured promptly by the surgeon, the stretching tiger of Bandhavgarh is among 130 elusive creatures spanning the world’s biggest tusker to the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher that currently populate the walls of Jehangir Art Gallery. Titled ‘Heartbeats’ (“heart is what keeps us alive,” he says), the show from November 22 to 27 marks the first solo exhibition for Panda, chairman of the Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre, whose Instagram profile reads “heart surgeon by passion and photographer for relaxation”.
Panda, who has treated netas from Lalu Prasad Yadav to Manmohan Singh, sneaks off to Karnala Bird Sanctuary at 5am on workdays at times and visits Africa four times a year to chase pachyderms whose tusks touch the ground.
Proceeds from the exhibition—curated by naturalist, writer and photographer Sunjoy Monga—will go towards Asian Wildlife Trust, a non-profit set up by Dr Panda that has undertaken initiatives from donating Rs 7.5 lakh for the first ambulance for wildlife and animal rescue in Mumbai to supplying sewing machines to tribal women in MP’s Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve to earn a living by stitching school uniforms.
We also published the following articles recently
Panda Diplomacy; China signals possible panda loan to US
Chinese leader Xi Jinping suggested sending new pandas to the United States as a symbol of friendship. Xi expressed willingness to deepen ties between China and the US and continue cooperation on panda conservation. This comes after discussions with President Joe Biden to improve relations between the two countries. China has previously loaned pandas to over 20 countries as part of its "panda diplomacy" initiative. The United States has not received new panda loans for 20 years, but California, particularly San Diego, is considered a probable destination. The San Diego Zoo returned its last two pandas to China in 2019.
Pandas could return to US after Xi-Biden summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping is considering sending new pandas to the United States as a symbol of friendship between the two nations. The "panda diplomacy" has been used by China since 1972, when they gifted pandas to the US following President Nixon's visit to China. Tensions between the two countries have led to some pandas being called back to China, but Xi expressed a willingness to continue cooperation on panda conservation and meet the wishes of the Californians to deepen friendly ties. The last remaining pandas in the US are scheduled to return to China by late 2024.
Xi Jinping indicates China will once again send Pandas to US zoos
China's President Xi Jinping has announced that China will renew its Panda Diplomacy with the US by sending pandas to American zoos. This move is seen as a signal to stabilize relations between the two largest economies. The potential cooperation on pandas comes as the US is facing the prospect of losing all of its bears by the end of next year as current loan agreements expire. China had not explained why new deals had not been signed with American zoos, but tensions with Washington have increased.
Start a Conversation
Post comment