2019- " SEEK "....THE GREAT INDIAN BIRDING EXPEDITION.......A 100 DAYS' ROAD TRIP ACROSS INDIA................................... 1.THE INTRODUCTION!

             

The biggest adventure you can take is TO LIVE THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS AND PASSIONS. Yes, though having done numerous far-away, lengthy, off-road, multi-day, multi-terrain, inter-state, international driving, more than once, it's always been one of my dreams to go for some off-road drive, all thro' the different terrains of our Diverse India, coast to coast !   

                    Then one day, when you least expect it, the great adventure finds you. I was in North America, unwinding myself with our grand-children, when I got the word, an invitation, from my dear friend Mohammad Saleem in India, for the on-road All India Birding Expedition of a 100 days one. Oh, to my pleasant surprise, here it is, an offer to fulfill my dream-it befell inside me- and what's more, there is my attractive, ardent, Birding and Wildlife Photography, further! Lucky me, the dates suited too to me, at least this time, not as the previous ones! When announced my family wholeheartedly gave a go-ahead, as it is of their attitude, naturally! If someone called you a crazy one for doing it at the age of 64, you are on the right track I thought! 

Hear someone calling me Crazy to the core,

for doing this at the age of 64 !

You are on the track, a right one,

whispers do I hear from the Inner, my own,

for doing something never ever before!

Yes, I say to myself, 

DO MORE, THAN JUST TO EXIST!

          Ultimately, after the well-drilled home-work, and with a sporty team, It was on January 12th, 2019, on a cold morning, We ventured onto our SEEK 2019 - (Save Endangered and Endemic Keyspecies) -The GREAT INDIAN BIRDING EXPEDITION, the 3rd on a row of such Exploring Expeditions by ECG! Thanks to the State Govt. Forest Department, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Our sponsors and entire supporters and well-wishers, we were able to chart out a splendid plan!

The TEAM MEMBERS who inspired as the epitomes of courage and determination with passion for MOTHER NATURE n WILDLIFE -as Environmentalists, Conservationists, Experienced Photographers, and Expert Off-road Drivers are, 

●Mr.Mohammed Saleem-President of Environment Conservation Group, The ECG of Coimbatore, an experienced and well-knowledged Nature Conservationist, an organizer of Expeditions across the Wild Indian Terrain, and a National Geographic Certified Educator.

●Dr. Azeez-Former Director of Salim Ali Centre of Ornithology and Natural History-The SACON of Anaikatty-TN, and an Environment Scientist.

●Dr.Ravi Rishi-a Physician, a WL Enthusiast, a WL Photographer, and an experienced Off-road driver.

●Mr.Thillai Makadhan-an Engineer, a WL Enthusiast, a WL Photographer, and a good driver.

SEEK 2019...
The agenda was a 100 days objective of an obtrusive and adventurous driving, a daring deed to document through the Wild Life Sanctuaries n Bird-Sanctuaries of all 28 INDIAN STATES, 6 of Her 9 Union Territories, Bhutan, and Nepal.

●to highlight the issues of the endangered bird species

●to emphasize on the importance of birds, for their role on the overall ecosystem balance

●to study on the different ecosystems, their bird diversity and to spread awareness on the importance of protecting them,

 ●to document the 100 most threatened birds of India, and to study the conservation issues faced by them,  

 ●to collaborate with local communities and gain new insights towards their active contribution to conservation,

●to  reach out to the younger generation through the schools, colleges, and Institutions, to enthuse and create ambassadors for conservation among them

●to call for media/press conferences frequently along the journey

●to bring out the documented data into a Book, a Movie, a Blog, and into small printouts with apt images!