Scientists students meet at Bellary, Karnataka

Usham Somarendro Singh *

Let me first mention that this meet was a very interesting one, an innovative approach with an aim to promote basic sciences among students. Before coming into the details of this topic, let me mention how I happened to land in the state of Karnataka. Many people who know me will also know that I am more of an indoor person and want to spend my time with family rather than travelling, but my profession on wildlife research and conservation doesn't allow me to be one, thus, perhaps I travelled in so many places than many people could think of.

One of my Kashmiri friends, Tanvir Ahmed, a DSP in J & K police told me 'Usham, I haven't travelled so much of Kashmir like you does, despite being a Kashmiri myself'. This profession of wildlife research has actually brought me to this place of Southern state of Karnataka, India.

My project on leopard-human conflict mitigation in Karnataka, ably supported by Karnataka Forest Department and funded by Rufford Foundation, UK, was being carried out by Wildlife SOS, New Delhi. This project had given me so many opportunities, and allowed me to have many good friends and gave me the chance to travel the entire length and breadth of Karnataka, from the semi-arid areas of Koppal district to the coastal region of Kanwar. It's been really fascinating and amazing experience.

Among so many friends I have had, Samad Kottur whom I refer to as Samad Sir was the closest one, since he himself is a wildlife enthusiast and helped me in monitoring the project. He is an English lecturer by profession and during his free time, he helped me carried out this project. To me, having someone like him was a big asset since he is a local, therefore, knows the areas and its people very well.

I also should mention that he has a big interest on birds that he has authored so many books on avi-fauna of South India. He can name birds not only by sighting but on hearing the calls. I remembered he has a great fascination on one particular species, the 'Yellow throated Bulbul' and I was told that the presence of this endemic birds have enabled them to protect many environmental areas from destruction.

I guess my introduction part is far too long, well, perhaps on 3rd January 2010, a day before the Meet, Samad Sir informed me 'Usham there is a workshop called Scientists Student Meet and we should speak something there'. 'Yes Samad Sir', I said. Well I didn't know anything about the programme, but then to speak something about wildlife was of no harm. However, I never took it seriously enough since it was neither one of those conferences where I need to prepare in advance nor it was a part of my project on leopards. So, I didn't prepare any powerpoint presentation.

I also should mention that my cousin Haobijam Premchand was there helping me in conducting the project, and I along with him and Samad Sir, we reached there at the workshop Venue at Bellary. It really surprised me that there were approximately 600 students and 30 to 40 teachers. Not only was the large congregation of students that I was surprised at, I was also fascinated by the concept of the Meet.

'Promoting basic sciences to ensure that there is no biasness in choosing subjects except engineering and medical fields' was a genuine concept, a visionary approach—a better way of human resource management for overall economic development of the state. They somehow felt that more and more students are pursuing to become engineers and doctors and less number of students for the basic sciences.

In other words, all brilliants go for engineering and medicals leaving not-so-brilliants for the rest. That also means it is creating an imbalance, a vacuum which needs to be corrected. So, every student doing master or higher degree in basic sciences will be rewarded with healthy monetary incentives, read scholarship. They somehow felt that it would put a brake into this current trend.

And the reason why I was there was to impart interest among students on basic sciences. Well, I was among the well known and famous teachers from various streams of physics, chemistry, biology, including teachers from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. That also means, I cannot take my presentation lightly as I had expected, so, perhaps in the morning, I started working on my presentation. I had numerous presentations in my laptop, the presentations I had prepared for conferences and I chose the one on ecology of leopards in the Gir National Park.

I chose this one not only because it was an extensive 3 years study, but it had many interesting elements where students could really enjoy. It had pictures of radio-collaring leopards; in fact 5 leopards were radio-collared in the Gir study, many good pictures taken on leopards, animal territory and home ranges map, apart from feeding ecology that even showed leopards' special interest of dog meat. Radio-collared leopard moving in the direction of the house where a dog was howling was even observed. There were instances where a mother dog and its puppies were taken away one by one by leopard.

Well, leopards going after dogs don't mean that Gir has low prey base, in fact, the Gir National Park has one of the highest prey species; the only reason was one of my collared leopard moved out of the National Park and settled in coastal forest of Kodinar roaming in the sugarcane farm in agro-settlement complex. That particular leopard ate a lot of dogs. And I was quite sure it would generate interest among students.

I remembered I spoke just after the lecture given by a Mathematics professor and not disrespect to him, but his lecture was a kind of boring, may be teaching mathematic was difficult. Mine was the only talk where two persons spoke—I spoke in English and Samad Sir translated into Kannadiga, and that kind of aroused interest among students. I started by asking the state bird of Karnataka and I found only few students knew it and Samad Sir interesting translated into Kannadiga. Later after the talk, so many students flung towards me asking for an autograph. Well you didn't get such moments many times in life unless you are a filmstar.

Students were also interested in me since they called me by the name 'Chinese' because of my look. Unlike Bangalore where there are lots of Manipuris, you don't get to see many Manipuri faces in Bellary. Except me and my cousin H. Premchand, they didn't see any in the meet. I signed so many autographs and I wished them best in their life and hope that the step taken up by the Karnataka Govt. would bring them a good— a better future.

Can such steps be replicated in Manipur?