Tiger Warrior  (English, Hardcover, Taraporewala Soonoo)

Tiger Warrior: Fateh Singh Rathore Of Ranthambhore tells the story of the conservationist who devoted a major part of his life to help save India’s national animal, the tiger.

Summary Of The Book

Poaching, encroachment, urban development, demand on natural resources, and overpopulation are all pushing the striped cats towards extinction in the wild.

Fateh Singh Rathore joined the Indian Forestry Service, and one of his first jobs, ironically, was to arrange for the killing of the cats that he grew to love. He was asked to organize a tiger hunt for the visiting Queen Elizabeth II of England.

Later, Fateh Singh became an ardent conservationist and his management of the park’s water resources and other facilities were pioneering and helped to protect the tiger population. He was among the first to warn of the declining tiger numbers in National Parks around the country, well before the Sariska disaster made international headlines.

Fateh Singh Rathore initiated projects to help rehabilitate the Mogiyas tribe and show them alternative sources of income to stop them helping poachers. He also relocated villagers living within the park area. His frequent warnings about the dangers to the tiger population and drastic decline in numbers resulted in the forest department denying him entry into the park he helped save.

He worked closely with the organization, Tiger Watch, to monitor tiger population and gather information on poachers. His list of admirers include celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and leaders like Rajiv Gandhi and Bill Clinton. Wildlife filmmaker Valmik Thapar was also a close friend and admirer of Rathore.

Rathore died of died of lung cancer in 2011. Tiger Warrior: Fateh Singh Rathore Of Ranthambhore is a wonderful tribute to the man who fought a lifelong battle against corruption, bureaucracy and apathy to help save the tigers of India.

About Soonoo Taraporewala

Soonoo Taraporewala is a conservationist and author.

Soonoo Taraporewala worked as a librarian at the British Council in Mumbai for twenty years. She is a photographer and is also interested in music, literature and travel. The Ranthambore National Park and its animals hold a special place in her heart.