COIMBATORE: Nature has always held the power to quieten souls. While some let the silence engulf them, S Chandrasekaran finds the wildlife surrounding him a never-ending source of wonder and knowledge.
Celebrating the nuances of nature for him stretches beyond elephant ears and bird whistles. His greatest asset is the golden pair of immense knowledge and rich experience, about tigers, birds, and elephants, as well as the landscape of Tamil Nadu. He is a freelance naturalist with a multitude of métiers such as vulture research and writing.
At 68, Chandrasekaran still holds to his first inspiration which was books on nature by famed Tamil scholar V Kalyanasundaram and the real-life experiences of Philo Irudayanath, a teacher and writer. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve piqued his interest during his school and early college days.
He started his career as a clerk at the Central Bank of India after completing his undergraduate degree and retired as Chief Manager. He joined as a member of the Madras Naturalist Society while working at the bank in Chennai. His first bird research experience was in Senjikottai (Gingee) of Tiruvannamalai district about the Yellow-throated bulbul, which was funded by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) under T Koneri Rao of MNS. “In 1986, I was transferred to Mumbai, which gave me the opportunity to work closely with the BNHS and learning from stalwarts like Dr Robert Grubh and JC Daniel. I learned about flamingos and waders that thrived near the Dativare coast in Mumbai. I also did a study on the relation between monsoon flora and animals at Borivali National Park,” said Chandrasekaran, reminiscing his past.
He was then transferred between 1994 and 2003 to different places namely, Manjoor in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, and Kollam in Kerala. He always spent his holidays and leisure time doing studies such as a survey of raptors in Southern Nilgiris, a bird survey of the Coimbatore Division and identifying Important Bird Area (IBA) sites in Kollam district.
“Later, I came to Chennai and worked on the birds in Pazhaverkadu and Gulf of Mannar,” said Chandrasekaran, fondly called ‘Chandru’ by his friends. His scientific papers on the presence of tigers in Sathyamangalam, when it was a reserve forest, were crucial for the wildlife fraternity to identify the tiger-dominated area at the International Symposium on Tigers held at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in 2008.
The Sathyamangalam-based naturalist has completed ten scientific papers in the last two decades on topics such as the effects of diclofenac on the vulture population and distribution of vultures in NBR. He received the state government’s best environment author award for 2022 for his book ‘Kazukukalin Kaadu’ in Tamil.
“I have been writing such books which are simple reads, to educate the common people about wildlife and forests, as they are unable to visit the forest. My passion for the wilderness was flared by greats such as Jim Corbett, Dr AJT John Singh and ERC Davidar,” said Chandrasekaran who is currently working on another book about veterinarian Krishnamurthy, fondly known as ‘Yanai doctor’ due to his love for elephants. “If you love your work, you will not feel stressed is what I learned from the Yanai doctor. He dedicated his life to taking care of elephants.”
Chandrasekaran has also shared his manifold experiences with budding field-level forest staff and youths who are keen on birdwatching through workshops arranged by NGOs like Care Earth Trust and WWF. He believes that with more facilities and better working conditions, the Anti-Poaching Watchers (APWs) can devote themselves better to being the real guardians patrolling the jungle every day as they possess inherent knowledge of the landscape and its wildlife.
The freelance naturalist fondly recalls the affection and expertise shared by the legendary ecologist Dr AJT John Singh and his encouragement to write a book and the immense support he received from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department Officers, during his excursions to the forest.
As Chandrasekaran keeps learning, listening, and teaching about the million little miracles of life itself, he believes that there is a lot more that is yet to be unlocked and explored.
(Edited by Rohith Sony)
