Forest personnel of Kanha Tiger Reserve paid heartfelt tributes to renowned wildlife conservationist and Padma Bhushan awardee Hemendra Singh Panwar, who passed away on May 29 in Gurugram, Delhi-NCR. His demise is an irreparable loss to the field of wildlife conservation in India. A condolence meeting was held at Kanha Tiger Reserve headquarters, where Field Director Ravindra Mani Tripathi, Deputy Director Prakash Kumar Verma and other officers and staff members offered floral tributes and observed silence in his memory. Tourism guides, vehicle owners and drivers associated with Kanha also gathered at Khatia tourism gate to honour his legacy.

 

Panwar served as the first Field Director of Kanha Tiger Reserve from March 1974 to May 1981. During his tenure, he laid the foundation for scientific wildlife management and conservation practices in Kanha. He also served as the first Director of the Wildlife Institute of India and Director of Project Tiger. A recipient of several prestigious national and international honours, Panwar was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2013. He is widely credited for pioneering tiger conservation, reviving hard-ground barasingha population and helping establish Kanha as one of India’s best-managed national parks. His contribution to wildlife conservation will be remembered for generations.