Alumnus-Grand-Paternalis/Fraternalis, actually a Parentalis in Residence of The Rajkumar College, Rajkot
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(-2 March 2015)
- In Memoriam: March 2, 2015:Sir who taught us to aim high and that nothing is impossible in life; Nature edu pioneer Lavkumar no more
SEE MAIN OPEN PAGE AT: Lavkumar Khachar
- Lavkumar Khachar: the name that stands out for long term contribution to spreading awareness about nature, especially ornithology, it is that of Lavkumar Khachar. He has spent his life studying nature and teaching people to understand and love it.
Born into the royal family of Jasdan in Saurashtra, ruled by the great warrior clan of Khachar Kathis, educated at Rajkumar College, Rajkot, where he started his career teaching Bio Sciences and Geography in 1956 after B.Sc. Honours from St.Stephen's College, Delhi University. His creative implementation of the nature studies program so impressed the Board of World Wildlife Fund-India that he was given the responsibility of conceiving and initiating its Education and Youth Movement in 1976.
This is not unusual for his nurture from nature loving rulers of Jasdan. Hingolgadh Nature Education Sanctuary, on the banks of Bhadar river, in the vicinity of Jasdan, is a creation of the royal family of Jasdan. Here, nature education camps are organised to create awareness about wildlife and environment.
In 1984 he took charge as the Director of the Nature Discovery Centre at the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). Today State governments and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are following the model created by him across India. He was instrumental in declaring the Gulf of Kutch Islands as the first marine national park in India.
The beautiful property of Hinglaj Farm overlooking the Beas River in the Himalayas has been his home for the last 25 years. From this home he as launched the nature conservation education and camping movement that has been replicated nationwide by other nature lovers. The Hingolgadh Nature Conservation Education program (HNCEP) has been instrumental in opening the eyes of nature lovers to the outdoor life in India and in turn contributing to the local economy without threatening the local culture.
Mr. Khachar has been the recipient of the following awards for his dedication to Nature Education:
- The Salim Ali - Loke Wan Tho Lifetime Award for Excellence in Ornithology for his pioneering work in ornithology and on the Nanda Devi National Park.
- Certificate of Merit awarded by His Royal Highness Prince Philip for his contribution in initiating the Youth Education Movement and developing the Nature Camps for WWF-India.
- In 2004, he was awarded the Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award.
If there is one name that stands out for long term contribution to spreading awareness about nature, especially ornithology, it is that of Lavkumar Khacher. Lavkumar Khacher has spent his life studying nature and teaching people to understand and love it. Born into the royal family of Jasdan in Saurashtra, Mr. Kacher started his career teaching Bio Sciences and Geography at Rajkumar College, Rajkot in 1956. His creative implementation of the nature studies programme so impressed the Board of World Wildlife Fund-India that he was given the responsibility of conceiving and initiating its Education and Youth Movement in 1976. In 1984 he took charge as Director of the Nature Discovery Centre of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). Today state governments and NGOs are following the model created by him across India . He was instrumental in declaring the Gulf of Kachch Islands as the first marine national park in India.
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- Obituaries: Lavkumar Khachar BY THE HIMALAYAN CLUB
- Biography by a student/camp trainee Reminiscing The Experience
- PIPL links: 56 blogs pieces - a treasure trove: review and work on: e.g. President, the Bird Conservation Society, Gujarat 2007
- SAMARA Each and every child has the ability to fly on the clouds of their dreams
- In the laps of the Himalayas!22 May 2012
- Hingolagadh Palace
- Harmony Play School & Nursery: "Brain child" of Mr. Lavkumar Kachar a teacher, a naturalist, and a conservationist, Harmony Play School is located on a 4 acre farm with a pond...
- All creatures great and small......In the wake of the Stockholm conference on the Environment in 1972, seminars on wildlife were organised and one could sense an opposition to non-specialists working or writing on subjects relating to wildlife. Some professional wildlifers looked upon the non-professional as a poacher in their preserve. Gradually, this feeling came to be articulated in these gatherings. M. Krishnan, who was a botanist by training, did not react to this sniping. At a seminar at the Salim Ali Centre of Ornithology and Natural History in 1992, Lavkumar Kachar, responded and said that such territorial imperative was uncalled for and that the cause of conservation in our country needed all the help it could get from various sources. He pointed out that the perceived conflict was imaginary. Non-professional wildlifers such as Shekhar Singh and Bittu Sehgal have contributed significantly to the preservation of our wildlife heritage through their writings. I am not sure if a similar debate is on in other countries or whether it is specifically an Indian phenomenon. But certainly, many of the known names in nature writing in the West, such as Peter Mathieson in the United States and Gilbert White in the United Kingdom are non-professionals but nature writers nonpareil. There should be no confusion between nature writing and scientific writing on wildlife. In fact some of these non- specialists have written works respected for their scientific accuracy. I can think of Divyabhanu Sinh Chawda who researched on the cheetah and E.R.C. Davidar who studied the Nilgiri Tahr.
- Modernity: Boon or bane? Lavkumar Kachar:The writer is an acclaimed conservationist and educator and has contributed to the notification of many sanctuaries and national parks in India
- Veteran birder Lavkumar Kachar from Ahmedabad laments that the majestic Sarus crane (the Krauncha bird of the Ramayana) is on its way out: return of the pelican
- Lavkumar kachar: European Roller! breed from Southern Europe all the way across central Asia to Kashmir and migrate to East Africa. They cross Western India during the Autumn Migration and return to their breeding grounds by a more westerly route.
- IF EAGLES CAN SOAR.........Lavkumar Khachar
- Mark Alexander Wynter Blyth Principal Rajkumar College, 1948 to 1963...by KS Lavkumar Khachar, Jasdan
- Indian birds
- Joy of Learning : Shri Lavkumar Khachar of the Hingolgadh Nature Conservation and Education Programme, devoted himself to the project as a member of the team.
- Asiatic Lions : Creation of gene pool for Asiatic Lions by Shri Lavkumar Khachar
- Creation of gene pool for Asiatic lions..by Lavkumar Khachar
- The Green Teacher is a unique capacity-building distance education course: Approaches to Environmental Education in Schools: Some Working Papers (Camping and Excursions, Lavkumar Khachar), CEE
- PROPOSED LIST OF COMMON ENGLISH BIRD NAMES Ornithologist, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History; Lavkumar Khachar Birdwatchers, Gujarat State
- 2008 Member Governing Council, Indian Ornithologists Union
- Wildpath
- Rose Bowl Doon
- Vidyanagar Nature Club, Gujarat: Shri Lavkumar Khachar released VNC's poster. on Butterflies
- Camping and Excursions : Nature Camps and nature education have long been a part of educator's ... Lavkumar Khachar, Experiencing Nature in The Green Teacher-Ideas, Experiences and ...
- Google search links about 150 ?1500
- Yahoo search links about 1500
- Biswamoy Biswas
- Member, Indian Mountaineering Foundation
- Venu menon Animal foundation Award 2004
- Comments of expert Shri Lavkumar Khachar on creation of gene pools:Asiatic Lions
- Gujarat Birdwatchers' Group