Torchbearers of the jungle

The story of transformation - of how wildlife poachers of the Mogia tribe, became its protectors

After driving through the tall, golden grasses of the Ranthambore forest area (Mansingh forest area) for quite some time, we spotted a hut, which was strange, considering that it was a forest area where tigers and leopards could be on the prowl. The two kids joyously running around the trees, on seeing us, ushered their mother from the hut towards our jeep. After we enquired as to why they were staying in the Jungle, one of the children (a little girl) replied, “My dad’s name is Lakhan Singh. He was a poacher. We lived inside the jungles. He was caught by the police and taken away. After he came back, we moved out of the jungle and made a hut in this area.” Intrigued by the father’s background, I hopped out of the jeep and waited for Lakhan Singh, the ex-poacher!

After half an hour of waiting, I was sitting across Lakhan Singh. Tall, lanky and in his mid-forty’s, he belonged to the Mogia tribe, a tribe of poachers, partly responsible for the dwindling number of tigers in Ranthambore. Mogias are traditional hunters, especially of tigers. For generations, the tribe has been thriving in dense forests and are meat eaters.What initially was a practice to fill their stomachs later started fetching them big bucks. With animal trade becoming rampant around Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Mogias turned towards poaching and smuggling of the skin and bones of tigers, wild boars, chinkaras etc. “I had learnt to hunt when I was a kid. And when I grew up, I became a part of a group that killed animals for money,” explained Lakhan. In 2002, when the tiger count in Ranthambore reached an alarming figure, for the first time, the forest department set up a dedicated squad and increased their vigil to nab the poachers.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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MODINAGAR

So far, in this tryst with Nehru’s temples, we talked about those townships that were once his pride. Neha Saraiya in search for a different dish, walks into a private township and returns home disappointed...

Notably, the Modi empire had been built on two main pillars – sugar and textiles, with the other businesses playing just supporting roles. Interestingly, during the 1990s, when most units of Modi Industries were being shut down affecting around 20,000 labourers, some in the township managed to discover a new way of earning their daily bread - bindi-making. “When the Modis left Modinagar and moved out, bindi-making became the most common occupation for jobless workers. And today, our bindis are even exported to other states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan,” explains Ratan Pal, a local shop owner whose wife is also engaged in the same profession. But these families earn only around Rs.2000-3000 every month, a pitiable level of earning.

Some of the Modi brothers have today made their mark in modern business verticals like real estate, telecom, entertainment and even FMCG. B. K. Modi’s Spice Telecom, and U. K. Modi’s joint venture with US-based Revlon Inc. stand out in this regard. Some have even transformed old mills into educational institutes (as a matter of fact, K. N. Modi Engineering College was constructed where the Modi Thread Mills once stood). Still, the Modinagar township is striving hard to hold on to upward life. The situation has deteriorated so much that many concerned associations, social activists and small entrepreneurial groups have even made suggestions to the government to declare it as a developing industrial township and thus encourage investments. Some demand the development of a central railway platform, a bypass connecting it to Delhi and a 24-hour electricity supply. For now though, this township drags on...

Some recently established new industries like Modinagar Paper Mills Ltd and Modinagar Rolls Ltd again bring visions of a revival. But as hopeful as the vision might be, pragmatism and reality point otherwise.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
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