Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Theppakadu elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Tamil Nadu bordering Karnatakas Chamarajanagar district after 22 km safari at Bandipur Tiger Reserve and met with Bomman and Bellie, the inspiration behind the Oscar Award-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers.
PM Modi visited Theppakadu elephant camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Tamil Nadu bordering Chamarajanagar district, and interacted with the main stars of the documentary, and also interacted with mahouts and kavadis of the elephant camp.
After sharing many photos from Bandipur Tiger Reserve, PM Modis videos with the couple from Theppakadu Elephant Camp are now out. Standing beside Bomman and Bellie, PM Modi was seen gently caressing the elephants at the reserve.
Sharing many photos from his meet, PM Modi wrote on Facebook, What a delight to meet the wonderful Bomman and Belli, along with Bommi and Raghu (sic).
What a delight to meet the wonderful Bomman and Belli, along with Bommi and Raghu. pic.twitter.com/Jt75AslRfF
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 9, 2023
The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary about a couples relationship with two orphaned baby elephants named Raghu and Ammu, has become the first Indian production to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghats on the Mysuru-Ooty highway in Karnataka, BTR is an important part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve that constitutes Karnatakas Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarahole) to its Northwest, Tamil Nadus Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary to its South, and Keralas Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary to its Southwest.
Once the private hunting grounds of the erstwhile Maharajas, and nestled in the foothills of the Nilgiris, Bandipur has had a long tryst with tigers.
Over 200 species of birds and a diversity of flora add to its attraction. Bandipur also supports a wide range of timber trees including teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian-laurel, Indian Kino tree, giant clumping bamboo
The PMs safari in Bandipur Tiger Reserve was a part of programmes to mark 50 years of Project Tiger. He interacted with frontline field staff and SHGs involved in conservation activities.
This was PM Modis 8th visit to poll-bound Karnataka this year, and spent two hours at the wildlife sanctuary.
Tight security cover was thrown in and around Bandipur Tiger Reserve, following the visit of PM Modi on April 9, BTR officials said.
(Using UNI inputs)
