As India matures, many forget that hunting was legal in the country for a full 25 years after gaining independence. During this time, thousands of foreign tourists, much like today’s safari-goers in Africa, came to India on hunting expeditions, treating the country’s rich wildlife as mere trophies.
Back then, anyone could enter the forests and hunt with little restriction. Majestic animals like tigers, leopards, and elephants were slaughtered and their remains sold as souvenirs. It’s hard to believe now, but there was once a thriving market in Delhi for tiger skins and body parts, and it was completely normal.
In 1961, Queen Elizabeth of England visited India and shot a tiger. The world criticized her, but in India, it was perfectly legal. In fact, organizing a hunting trip for guests was seen as a sign of hospitality, with many military generals and bureaucrats indulging in this grim pastime. Entire travel companies specialized in these hunting trips, and even government agencies advertised them abroad.
The tide began to turn in 1969 when the IUCN held its 10th meeting in Delhi, sparking the initial conversations that would eventually lead to the conservation framework for India’s forests and wildlife.
Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister, took the monumental step of drafting the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Despite fierce opposition from hunting safari operators, avid hunters, and government economists worried about the loss of foreign exchange, she stood firm. The Act was passed in August 1972, marking a pivotal moment in India’s conservation history.
This landmark legislation led to the creation of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, effectively banning hunting and restricting human activities in forests. The very next year, in 1973, Indira Gandhi launched Project Tiger, an ambitious initiative aimed at protecting the nation’s tiger population. Her commitment to conservation didn’t end there; in 1980, she passed the Forest Conservation Act, which curtailed deforestation and restricted commercial activities in forests.
Today, as Project Tiger celebrates its 51st anniversary in 2024, it stands as a testament to its success. The program has inspired several other conservation efforts targeting species like crocodiles, elephants, vultures, rhinos, and more. Even after her assassination, Indira Gandhi’s legacy lived on with the enactment of the Environment Protection Act in 1986, further cementing her role as a guardian of India’s natural heritage.
While Indira Gandhi is remembered for many things, her contributions to wildlife conservation are among the most underappreciated. Thanks to her vision and determination, generations of Indians have grown up understanding the importance of protecting our forests and the creatures that inhabit them.
And as we celebrate her legacy, places like Jim Corbett National Park—the first of its kind in India—stand as living monuments to her enduring impact. For those who love the tales of man-eating tigers and forest ghosts, and dream of spending nights in the bungalows near Dhikala, it’s all a part of the rich history that Indira Gandhi helped preserve.
