International Tiger Day 2022: Jungle Chimes Echoes with Stripes of Hope
By Sneha Chaudhuri
On 29th July 2022, GENCF’s Exploring Nature hosted Jungle Chimes to celebrate International Tiger Day, bringing together voices from the field, the lens, and the heart. The gathering was a tribute not just to the majesty of the tiger, but to the stories that make conservation human, stories told through images, memories, and lived experiences.
The session featured the work of Mr. Hemant Soren, Bhubaneshwar-based professional photographer, whose passion for the wild began at a young age and grew into a remarkable journey behind the camera. From documenting wedding traditions to capturing the untamed spirit of the forest, his lens has always sought authenticity. In his words, wildlife photography is not merely about framing a subject but about listening to the rhythm of the jungle, where patience, respect, and presence of mind shape every image. His presentation, “Tigers Are on the Prowl from Jamtara Tiger Gallery to Jungle Chimes,” offered a glimpse into the timeless beauty of big cats in their natural habitats.
Dr. Mithilesh Dutta Dwivedi, GENCF’s Chief Zoologist, opened the event with reflections on the tiger’s ecological importance and India’s ongoing journey of protection and recovery. He emphasized that every encounter with a tiger is a reminder of what is at stake, a fragile balance of forest, prey, and predator that sustains life across entire landscapes. His words set the stage for an evening where art and science met in harmony.
The highlight of the celebration was the feature of wildlife photographer Ricky Patel from Tamluk, West Bengal, whose images captured the intimate and often unseen moments of tiger behavior. His photo essay, “Fight of Love in Courtship,” documented a rare sequence of tigers in Bandhavgarh and Ranthambore, showcasing both the tenderness and ferocity that define their world. From a tigress marking her territory in Bandhavgarh to a striking portrait of courtship in Ranthambore, each frame was a story in itself, raw, unfiltered, and deeply evocative.
Accompanied by evocative captions like “In the midst of black dry forest, enhancing the beauty of the nature” and “Tigress of Grassland, Dikhala, Jim Corbett National Park,” Patel’s photographs reminded participants that the tiger’s survival is not an abstract concept but a living truth, one that demands constant vigilance and compassion.
As Jungle Chimes 2022 came to a close, it became clear that the celebration was more than an event; it was a reaffirmation of GENCF’s mission to blend science, photography, and community into one unified call for conservation. Every story told, every photograph unveiled, and every memory shared echoed with a simple yet profound truth: the roar of the tiger is the roar of the forest itself, and protecting it means protecting life in its fullest sense.
