From an aristocratic hunter in his youth to one of India's greatest wildlife conservationists, Kunwar "Billy" Arjan Singh (1917-2010) lived an extraordinary life.
Early Life and Hunting Years
Arjan Singh grew up with guns, shikar camps, and the thrill of hunting after being born into a princely family in Uttar Pradesh. As the year went by, a deep love for nature turned him away from killing and towards protecting the very creatures he once hunted.
Settling on his farm near the Dudhwa forests, Singh became a tireless campaigner for wildlife conservation.
He played a decisive role in the creation of Dudhwa National Park in 1977, which later became a safe haven for tigers, swamp deer, and barasinghas.
One of his most daring initiatives was the reintroduction of captive-born tigers and leopards into the wild, including the famous tigress Tara, brought from Twycross Zoo with Indira Gandhi’s help.
Awards and Lasting Legacy
Arjan Singh fought vigorously against development projects that were misguided, deforestation, and poaching, all of which endangered India's wildlife.
His writing, such as The Legend of the Man-Eater and Tiger Haven, contributed to raising awareness about the urgent need for conservation.
Also in recognition of his work, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan and later the Padma Shri, becoming a symbol of India’s conservation movement.
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