IAF MI-17 helicopter transports Pench tigress from MP's Sukatra airstrip to Rajasthan
Seoni (PTI): A tigress that had been eluding the authorities of Pench Reserve in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni for the last 24 days was captured and successfully airlifted to Rajasthan for relocation in an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter on Sunday, officials said.
The big cat was surrounded by elephants several times from morning to afternoon, before being tranquillised and brought to Sukatra airstrip here in a rescue vehicle, an official said.
The Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter airlifted the tigress, along with the cage, to Rajasthan's Vishdhari Tiger Reserve at around 6 pm, he said.
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Pench Tiger Reserve wildlife veterinarian Dr Akhilesh Mishra, assistant director Gurleen Kaur, Rukhad ranger Lokesh Pawar, WCT wildlife veterinarian Dr Prashant Deshmukh, forest officials from Rajasthan, and a team of experts were on board the helicopter to ensure the three-year-old tigress' safe journey, the official said.
"Pench tigress PN-224 was captured from the wild and airlifted from Sukatra airstrip to Rajasthan. This relocation will not only increase the tiger population in Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve but will also help strengthen genetic diversity among different tiger landscapes. This operation is an excellent example of scientific wildlife management and technical prowess," Pench Tiger Reserve deputy director Rajneesh Singh said.
"India has achieved another major success in wildlife conservation and inter-state coordination. The most significant aspect of this entire operation was the safe transport of the tigress to her new home via an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter. This relocation operation was conducted systematically and scientifically for the past month," Singh informed.
The authorities at Pench Tiger Reserve utilised modern AI-based camera traps and motion sensor cameras to identify and monitor the tigress's movements, with approximately 50 cameras set up in the area to accurately monitor the big cat's health and behaviour, the official said.
The successful operation was facilitated by the unique coordination between the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Forest Departments, with Rajasthan's Chief Conservator of Forests, Suganaram Jat, and veterinarian Dr Tejinder camping in Pench for the past eight days.
The entire process was completed under the guidance of Pench Tiger Reserve field director Devprasad J and deputy director Rajneesh Kumar Singh, officials said.
The complex process of tranquillising the tigress was carried out under the leadership of Dr Akhilesh Mishra and Dr Prashant Deshmukh (Wildlife Conservation Trust), with the assistance of experts from Jabalpur Veterinary College and field biologists, they said, adding that assistant director Gurleen Kaur led the mission during the transfer.
The contribution of field staff from the Kurai and Rukhad ranges of Pench was crucial to the success of this mission, as they patrolled daily from 6 am to 6 pm to monitor the tigress' movement, they said.
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'Ramayana': Ranbir Kapoor’s look as Lord Rama out, Nitesh Tiwari says film took 7 years to make
Mumbai (PTI): Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor's first look as Lord Rama from producer Namit Malhotra's "Ramayana", one of the most ambitious cinematic events in the history of Indian cinema, was unveiled on Thursday.
The makers released a two-minute-38-second teaser titled 'Rama' on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, offering audiences their first glimpse into Lord Rama's world, from the battlefields to the grand palaces and dense forests, with Kapoor donning royal robes adorned with heavy gold jewellery as the king and warrior of Ayodhya.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, best known for "Dangal" and "Chhichhore", the film has been seven years in the making.
"To reach till this moment, it has personally taken me seven years. Filmmaking is a speculative and lonely process. Every moment of these seven years, I've imagined this moment as to what the reaction would be when it comes out.
"Today, looking at your reaction, I feel the seven years are worth those seven years. A lot of people have worked on this film. We hope we get much love from you all," Tiwari said at a promotional event.
The filmmaker said he was aware of the audience's emotional attachment with “Ramayana” and added that the team has tried to be as “authentic” as possible.
“...You understand the sensitivity and attachment (for ‘Ramayana’), you keep those things in mind. We’ve taken care in portraying Lord Rama, it’s very authentic is what I feel,” the director said.
The film also features “KGF” star Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lord Lakshman.
"Ramayana" is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios and DNEG, in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations.
A two-part live-action saga rooted in one of Indian mythology's most enduring epics, the film draws on the full might of DNEG, one of the world's leading visual effects studios, with eight Academy Awards for films including "Inception", "Interstellar", "Dune" and "Dune: Part Two".
Malhotra, who is the CEO of DNEG, described it as a “special moment”.
“We’ve made this (film) with a lot of love. Before you let it go, there’s a feeling of wanting to keep it, and we are like, ‘Are we ready to share it?’ Thanks to Nitesh and the team who have worked hard to put this labour of love.
"I’m proud of what we’ve put out. I hope you all have loved it. You don’t pick ‘Ramayana’, ‘Ramayana’ picks you,” said Malhotra.
He said the aim behind the movie is to introduce the story of the mythological epic and Lord Rama to the world.
“There are Indians all over the world. We should not be divisive that’s where we go wrong on ‘Ramayana’... It’s one world, one ‘Ramayana’ and one Rama. The idea is to show it to the entire world," he added.
The team had earlier held a grand event in Los Angeles that was attended by Malhotra, Tiwari and Kapoor.
Asked about the reason for holding an event in the US, Malhotra said, “The Indians in the America are thanking and appreciating, you need to understand the emotion of the Indian people over there.”
While post-production is underway for part one of “Ramayana”, Malhotra said filming for part two is already in progress, largely taking place indoors due to the heavy use of visual effects.
In a statement, Kapoor said the experience has been humbling.
"I don't think I'm here to represent Rama. I'm here to learn from him. There is a simplicity and purity to him that is very rare; and trying to understand and imbibe that has been a deeply humbling experience," the actor said.
The first part of “Ramayana” is slated to release worldwide in IMAX during Diwali 2026, with part two following in Diwali 2027.
The film’s crew includes renowned international artists, including Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman, who are collaborating on the score.
The action sequences are choreographed by Hollywood stunt veterans Terry Notary and Guy Norris, and the film’s visual world is being shaped by production designers Ravi Bansal of “Dune: Part Two” fame and Ramsey Avery as “Captain America”.
