An ode to pleasure: remembering Ajith Kumar [Obituary]

There’s an vacancy within the wild forests of Varagaliar in southern Tamil Nadu. The premature demise of Dr. Ajith Kumar, who performed seminal analysis on the lion tailed macaques of those forests in 1987 has rendered each the forests that he beloved and the wildlife conservation neighborhood in India, silent.

Lion tailed macaques have loomed giant in Ajith’s life – from the partitions of a temple at Thalayolaparambu, close to his native village in Kerala, to his more moderen issues concerning the urbanisation of those macaques within the city of Valparai, within the Anamalai hills. His lengthy days of tearing up and down the hills of Varagaliar with binoculars skilled on these primates ready him for a lifetime of infinite journey, watching the lives of those that he encountered, and simply as with the macaques, enmeshing himself with these lives.

Monkey enterprise

Within the early 2000s, we had gone for subject work to the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary within the Anamalais, and had been attempting to return to Valparai via a forest checkpost. Regardless of exhibiting our analysis permits to the forest guard, he refused to open the gate. Through the dialog, we occurred to say, “We’re college students of Dr. Ajith Kumar who studied lion tailed macaques in Varagaliar a few years in the past”. The guard’s eyes flew open and he stated, “Ajith Kumar Sir?! Oh, he’s a LIVING LEGEND”. The guard opened the gates in a flash! After that each time Ajith visited us, we welcomed him with, “The residing legend is again!” – T.R. Shankar Raman, Batch of 1993-1995 on the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

There was two male Bonnet macaques that roamed the NCBS canteen corridors. One sunny afternoon, the macaques determined to affix the people for a spot of snacking. Basic pandemonium predictably adopted. Amidst all of it sat Ajith sir consuming a pack of biscuits while being curiously watched by one of many macaques. After a couple of minutes of munching, Ajith handed over the pack to his observer with a chuckle, who turned it over eagerly, solely to seek out it empty. As a really disenchanted monkey hauled himself off to search for higher luck, Ajith giggled away. Regardless of who the primate was, he couldn’t resist teasing. – Meghna Krishnadas, Batch of 2008-2010 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

Dr. Ajith was my thesis supervisor after I was finding out food regimen choice by capped langurs in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. He instructed that by the point he visits me on subject, I ought to have positioned and habituated two examine teams within the forest. “Get the langurs lined up”, he stated. Throughout his subject go to, we encountered the primary group of capped langurs inside the first stroll within the subject. I turned to him and stated, “My langurs are all lined as much as meet you, simply as you requested”. He laughed sheepishly and stated, “Did you practice them for this or what?” – Uddipana Kalita, Batch of 2010-2012 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

Ajith redefined what it means to be a superb instructor – put him in a classroom setting and he was uncomfortable, his considerably unintelligible classroom lectures resulting in appears of confusion on college students faces. Outdoors the classroom, he exceled, whether or not within the subject or main by instance, his classes had been mild explorations of life round us, in all its varieties. Each statement, whether or not of forests, animals or individuals was made with kindness and equanimity, and most significantly with out judgement. But, each statement was positioned in context, and the patterns that emerged had been analysed and filed away for future reference. Ajith taught his college students about pure historical past, accountability, and relationships, via his personal astute observations of vegetation and animals, recognising primates and the explanations for his or her behaviour, diligent monetary help to his Ph.D. subject assistant, Thangavelu, from the Nineteen Eighties, till his loss of life within the mid 2010s, and utilizing any alternative to attach with individuals, nonetheless far eliminated they might have appeared, about wildlife conservation. A instructor, he taught us, was not merely one who engaged in a classroom, however extra importantly, one who engaged in actual life.

Instructor extraordinaire

We put collectively a six-month-long Wetland Ecology Biodiversity and Conservation course (in collaboration with IUCN) with out a lot devoted funding. Ajith sir agreed to be within the advisory committee and choice panel for the course, with none honorarium.  Not solely did he assist choose candidates, he additionally joined our subject course for 2 days, throughout which he charmed the course individuals a lot that lots of them continued to stay in contact with him. – Tiasa Adhya, Batch of 2010-2012 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

Throughout our 32 year-long affiliation, I by no means noticed him lose his mood; he all the time maintained his attribute humour, even in essentially the most demanding conditions. He by no means spoon-fed college students – whilst a Ph.D. information within the early years of his profession. He inspired independence, instilling in me the boldness and abilities to succeed in my objectives. He was my go-to individual at any time when I confronted points, even after the tip of his formal mentorship. Past lecturers, his unwavering help and effectively needs for me and my household have been invaluable. – G. Umapathy, Ajith’s first Ph.D. scholar on the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Pure Historical past

After I joined the M.Sc. program, I used to be terrified. After having a job for practically seven years, the considered returning to topics like Math and Statistics (by no means my robust go well with) felt overwhelming. Ajith instantly acknowledged my struggles and handed me books with titles like ‘Maths for eleventh Graders’, gently reassuring me whereas we laughed—me nonetheless teary-eyed from a meltdown. He had this uncommon present of providing help with out making you are feeling embarrassed or judged.”– Uttara Mendiratta, from his first brood at NCBS

His method to conservation science was equally unassuming, regardless of a large breadth of labor, starting from north to south India and from the mountains to the ocean. Whether or not on the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Pure Historical past (SACON) or the Nationwide Centre for Organic Sciences (NCBS), Ajith left his mark on the sphere of conservation via landmark tasks. Though skilled as a primatologist, he together with colleagues (Dr. Ravi Chellam and Dr. B.C. Choudhury) at WII undertook a watershed undertaking within the Kalakkad Mundunthurai Tiger Reserve and Anamalai Hills that enabled Ph.D. college students to look at the ecology and conservation of reptiles, amphibians and small mammals within the panorama. These college students went on to form the sphere of wildlife science for many years to come back. Equally, whereas at SACON in 2002, he undertook a undertaking on the carrying capability of the Teesta River basin in collaboration with colleagues (Dr. Tamang) on the Sikkim College. This undertaking went on to stimulate curiosity in Sikkim’s ecosystems leading to a follow-up undertaking between 2018 and 2021, via which he continued to information Ph.D. college students in Sikkim.

Equally, when he realised that marine mammals had been comparatively under-studied, he rallied institutional and monetary help for the formation of a marine mammal consortium and helped to create at-sea coaching alternatives for college students. He additionally used the chance to bear ship-based coaching himself! He was the central node that linked virtually each wildlife associated NGO, serving on the advisory our bodies of Ashoka Belief for Analysis in Ecology and the Surroundings, Centre for Wildlife Research, Basis for Ecological Analysis, Advocacy and Studying, Nature Conservation Basis, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Belief of India, WWF, and lots of extra. Whereas underplaying his personal huge achievements, he put his prodigious reminiscence to good use, offering suggestions on a number of theses and papers, whereas additionally partaking with the state environmental clearance board in Kerala, remembering the names of the relations of tons of of his college students, or submitting away info within the recesses of his thoughts to function fodder for future jokes.

Dr. Ajith Kumar or Ayya, as we known as him, was in control of the pc labs at WII. We had simply obtained 286 machines from the USA and early SPSS had been put in, which wanted guide coding. A easy misplaced syntax would throw up errors, and he would patiently sit and proper our code. He was single-handedly chargeable for organising a strong IT infrastructure at WII and making it a quantitatively rigorous analysis institute. – RaghuRam Tata, who met Ajith when he was a Junior Analysis Fellow at WII

When Ajith got here to WII to affix as school, he introduced with him an previous Lambretta scooter that wanted main repairs to turn into street worthy. As soon as it was operating it grew to become the property of the junior researchers who used it to purchase fish, meat and previous monk. I had a brand new Vespa LML scooter, which Ajith took over, and he would use it to choose me up for work each day. I had a Cambridge College Ph.D. as my chauffeur. – B.C. Choudhury, who first met Ajith after they had been each school at WII

As a Grasp’s scholar, after being berated along with his traditional assertion, “All that’s okay, however what about your paper?”, I received flustered and requested, “Why must you use scientific publication as a measure of anybody’s scientific contributions?”. He responded with attribute equanimity, “Okay, I agree scientific publications might not be the perfect indicator. However are you able to consider one thing higher? In the event you discover one thing higher, I’ll use that”. I used to be caught utterly off-guard, as I used to be anticipating a lecture about my impertinence. His capacity to disarm with charming innocence, made him the most effective collaborators within the conservation sector. – Divya Karnad, Batch of 2006-2008 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

Ajith’s most essential attribute was his large coronary heart. He made house for everybody in it – from household to college students, colleagues and acquaintances. Everybody knew that they might depend on him, and that he, in flip, wouldn’t hesitate to ask them for assist. He was everybody’s pal, agony aunt and member of the family. Each from time to time he would pop up after having met his daughter, his siblings, his mother-in-law or his nieces, proving that he was simply as a lot a household man as a wildlife fanatic. Whether or not sharing an image of the most recent plant, and even of a spider that was named in his honour, he made certain to maintain monitor of the numerous tons of of individuals in his life. Beneficiant to a fault, along with his time, his alcohol and his cooking, he made certain to communicate and preserve all of the related individuals knowledgeable of his whereabouts, in order that he may meet up with them for a drink! Heat and utterly genuine, regardless of the context, his persona stood out much more than his accomplishments as a scientist.

Assist is offered, if somebody wants it…

After I had a well being scare, one of many first individuals I reached out to was Ajith Sir. “Simply eat fish”, he stated. He proceeded to relate a narrative about his relative whose response to a coronary heart situation was to turn into fitter than he ever had been. He additionally added that the individual continued to have a drink each evening! “Come house, I’ll make you fish. On a regular basis!”, he stated. In 10 quick minutes, he’d disarmed my fears, brewed hope and prolonged assist unconditionally. My pal, Avishkar Munje calls Ajith Sir, “Dumbledore”. He swears he has heard Ajith say, “assist is offered at NCBS if somebody wants it”. I imagine him! – Akshay Surendra, Batch of 2016-2018 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

About 20 years in the past, I used to be sitting on the couch within the wildlife guesthouse, when Ajith Sir and Sanappa walked in. I received to my ft, and the subsequent factor I knew, was that I discovered myself waking as much as Ajith’s fearful face asking Sanappa to get me a glass of water. I had fainted! On Ajith’s insistence, I went to see the physician the subsequent day, and the physician requested me to verify whether or not my eyes had rolled to the again of my head after I was regaining consciousness. I known as to ask Ajith, and he stated, “I don’t learn about you, however my eyes positively rolled whenever you fell!” – Chaitanya Krishna, from his first brood at NCBS

He was one of many first individuals I knowledgeable about my most cancers analysis, exterior of household. He had seen me wrestle via ailing well being within the months previous the analysis and would verify for updates after every go to to the physician. His optimism at seeing me again within the subject, and wrapping up the Masters course, stored me going via my chemotherapy and radiation. Within the cancer-free decade that adopted, he would by no means fail to observe up and verify in on not solely me, however my partner and household as effectively. – Kadambari Devarajan, Batch of 2012-2014 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, NCBS

A eager traveller, he by no means let an opportunity go by to discover completely different subject websites along with his college students and buddies. His final 5 years, after his “retirement”, had been maybe a few of his busiest. He travelled the size and breadth of the nation (and the jap a part of the world) assembly previous buddies and making new ones. Whether or not exploring mountains, forests or archaeological ruins, he took all of it in with attribute gusto! The enjoyment of assembly individuals, seeing wildlife, experiencing superb landscapes, pushing himself bodily to succeed in new heights, in addition to the enjoyment of fine food and drinks had been attribute of Ajith’s sincere and spontaneous way of living. For all these causes and extra, tons of of individuals from throughout the nation and the world lament his passing. Little doubt, all of us have loads to be taught from the fantastic lifetime of Dr. Ajith Kumar!

Intrepid traveller

He as soon as prompt that we trek to Munnar, one morning, aiming to get there in time to have some beer along with his buddies in Eravikulam in Kerala. And we took off. For sure, we by no means made it, received misplaced and needed to in a single day within the open; utterly uncovered to starvation, biting chilly and rain. Solely his humour noticed us via! He then revealed to us that this was his fourth try!! With out meals, he requested us to forage for berries and tubers, whereas additionally remarking, “When you begin foraging for meals, you gained’t have time to seek out your method out… We’re all going to die right here and shall be discovered centuries later by anthropologists who would declare that they found a polyandrous society! (I used to be the one girl with a gaggle of 5 males!) – Divya Mudappa, Ajith’s first Ph.D. scholar at WII

After I completed my doctorate, I shifted to Kashmir and Dr. Ajith complained, “You reside on Mars now!”. However, after his retirement he visited me in Kashmir, and we went and noticed brown bears in Dras collectively. He even got here house and cooked some fish for my complete household! – Tanushree Srivastava, the final of Ajith’s many college students to be formally awarded her Ph.D. below his steerage

The creator Divya Karnad is an Affiliate Professor at Ashoka College and was a scholar of the batch of 2006-2008 of the Put up Graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation on the Nationwide Centre for Organic Sciences which was headed by Ajith Kumar until 2020.

Banner picture: Ajith Kumar conducts a subject journey. Picture by Shishir Thantya Rao.