Nirmal Kulkarni from Mapusa is a noted herpetologist, field ecologist, conservationist and wildlife photographer. Over the past three decades, he has been researching in different forests in India and with his passion for storytelling, he is now exploring the genre of writing for children. A recipient of the Carl Zeiss Award and Sanctuary Asia Award for his contribution to conservation science and nature education, he has now released his first children’s story book, ‘Eye to I with my First Tiger’.
After the success of his first colouring book for children, ‘Wild Jewels of the Mhadei,’ Nirmal is now talking about the majestic tiger through the eyes of two young boys, Nandu and Salu. “I am a snake man at heart, and herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians, is my passion and work specialisation. But, as India’s national animal and our apex predator, the tiger holds a special place in my heart too. Also, I have had my share of wild forays in India’s jungles studying large cats thanks to guidance by Dr Ulhas Karanth, a visionary scientist and one of my mentors. Hence, the first story book is about tigers,” says Nirmal Kulkarni.
He further adds, “The tiger is an apex predator of our forests and its presence here has been well documented and accepted. As Indians, it is not only our duty but our responsibility to conserve the tiger and its habitats in Goa and beyond. Conserving the tiger’s habitats also translates to protecting our natural resources and ensuring safety for Goa’s water catchment areas for posterity.”
This is story of two young boys who have an amazing adventure in a South India jungle. However, the entire book is based on forests, including alarm calls and smells and adventures. The aspects of how field surveys are conducted for estimating large cat numbers is also explained in simple format here to create awe as well as awareness. It took over a year from writing the story to edits and illustrations and designs, to get the book ready for children’s reading pleasure and knowledge. “It’s a story of adventure and the beautiful South Indian jungle. The story is derived from a series of personal experiences I have had in the field while doing camera trap surveys and line transacts in the Nagarhole tiger reserve in Karnataka, many years ago. I hope children are enthused to visit and walk nature reserves after reading the story and learn various facets of nature first hand, like the characters Nandu and Salu did, in their first adventure in the forest,” says Nirmal.
Published by Niyogi Books, it is Aanchal Lodhi’s style of art that attracts children to Nirmal’s words. An illustrator and surface pattern designer from Delhi, Aanchal has beautiful recreated the wild animals and forest on paper in vivid colours. “Aanchal Lodhi played a very important role in bringing the story to life. Her witty, colourful and quirky illustrations brought awe and fascination to ‘Eye to I’. I was fortunate to have her illustrate this book and we had an amazing time collaborating on this one. Aanchal’s interest in creating the exact scenes and depictions of the forest drama shown in the book comes from much background work that she and the editorial team at Niyogi books put in and this sets the book apart from other such works,” explains Nirmal.
What got Nirmal interested in writing for children? “I have always had a deep interest in engaging with children. In my work as an ecologist, I work with children through outreach programmes on snake awareness programmes and nature walks. I was introduced to children’s books on nature thanks to my daughter Naia, who is a voracious reader. It is then that I realised that good reading books for children on wildlife can be an amazing way to communicate with them. I learnt a lot while writing this book about various aspects of book writing for children, including use of language and expressions, simplification of words, etc. The editorial and design team at Niyogi books was amazing and hand held me at every step,” replies Nirmal.
Speaking about ‘Wild Jewels of the Mhadei’, the book that introduced him to children’s writing, he says, “Wild Jewels of the Mhadei was compiled to get children from Goa to know more of our Mother River. Before this, my other book ‘The Goan Jungle Book’ has also been compiled keeping youth in mind. Both these have had a very good response from Goan society and this has always been encouraging. I have received positive feedback from young readers and parents too for ‘Eye to I’ too and that makes me happy. Everyone has also commented on the ease of language, beautiful illustrations and the science angle in the story.”
The book is available at Dogears Bookstore in Margao and in Literati Bookshop and Cafe in Candolim. It can be also ordered online on Amazon. Nirmal is working on two other books for children, one on Goan culture and the other on wildlife.
Concluding on a positive note, Nirmal says that there is a positive change noticed among Goan children and youngsters when it comes to sensitivity to nature and wildlife, “I have always believed that Goan kids have a had a much deeper reverence for nature and biodiversity than other children as we are surrounded by nature and grow up watching birds and insects, rivers and rains and so on. In the past few years, this interest has definitely translated into more meaningful engagements with hobbies like birding, nature watching, trekking and photography amongst Goan youth. All this, thanks to some amazing mentors, nature educators, teachers, journalists, forest officers and naturalists who have dedicated themselves in the past two decades or more to bring about this change that we notice today.”
Dolcy D’Cruz
dolcy@herald-goa.com