It’s the first day of training.
A batch of young locals, men, and women between 18 and 25 learning to be forest guides with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, gather in a make-shift classroom in the scenic hilly region of Pachmarhi. Instructor Ratna Singh, who holds sessions on “hospitality manners”, sizes them up. “In the last decade, I have trained over 1,900 forest guides and 200 safari drivers,” says Singh, who has traveled from Kanha 350 km away for the class. “I teach them the etiquette that would help them interact with guests. My background in tourism and hospitality allows me to develop techniques of overcoming the lack of exposure the candidates may have and help them be better professionals,” shares the 44-year-old, who is the sole woman trainer in the state.
Her classes are part of an eight-week course the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department conducts for aspiring forest guides, which covers environmental studies, conservation techniques, and the basics of wildlife tourism.
After attending boarding school at La Martiniere, Lucknow, and securing an opportunity to pursue Human Rights Law at Oxford Brookes University in the UK in 2006, Singh faced a dilemma. In her heart, she wanted to remain close to her home near the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, but a stable career in the metro beckoned her. She chose to follow her heart.
“My mother was an animal lover; she was always tending to strays. There were all kinds of animals around my village home—birds, boars, reptiles, and even big cats. I was driven to pursue a career in the jungles,” she says. She signed up for a Naturalist training course organized by Taj Safaris in 2006 and never looked back. She later helped the brand set up its wildlife hospitality business as a Head Naturalist in Panna Tiger Reserve in 2008.
It was while living in Kanha—she was posted at the Kanha Tiger Reserve in 2010—that she came across women who had completed primary education, but had no access to stable jobs. Singh decided to train them in the basics of hospitality and wildlife. After her first informal training session in 2010, she drew the attention of forest officials and was soon invited to conduct structured courses for the state forest department as a consultant.
Soon it was not just women who were lining up for her courses, but even experienced guides, besides new recruits. “But training women gives me great joy. It’s my way of challenging patriarchy. Giving them a new perspective on life and encouraging them to be career-oriented are my greatest rewards,” she explains. “The way she teaches us is relatable, given our shared background in forest living,” says Madhuri Thakur, a safari driver in Kanha.
Her non-affiliation with the state forest department allows her to identify gaps and address them in consultation with the officials, who seek her opinion in structuring the modules of training for different forests, regions, and communities. “I am grateful that my passion for empowering the village women flourished into a tangible training programme,” she says.