Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitates 'elephant whisperers' in Tamil Nadu

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday felicitated the mahout couple Bomman and Bellie, who featured in the Oscar-winning documentary short film, 'The Elephant Whisperers', at Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris.
After a jungle safari covering 22km at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, Modi visited the century-old Theppakadu elephant camp, the oldest elephant camp in the country.
Modi reached Theppakadu by road from the Bandipur tiger reserve, located adjacent to the MTR.
About 28 camp elephants, including two calves, with their mahouts and cavadies (assistants), welcomed the Prime Minister to the camp. The elephants held their trunks high as a mark of greetings to him. Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary to the TN government, environment, climate change and forest department, received the PM with a shawl at the camp.
Principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden Srinivas R Reddy, additional DGP K.Shankar, Nilgiris collector S P Amrith, and Nilgiris SP K Prabakar were present at the camp during Modi's visit.
According to forest officials, the PM enjoyed being with the camp elephants. He fed the elephants with sugarcane and freely moved with them.Modi also interacted with three forest watchers, Kalan, Bomman and Madhan. The NTCA had recognised the watchers for their fieldwork.
He spent over 30 minutes at the camp. Later, he headed towards Masinagudi helipad by road, a distance of 5km.
At Masinagudi, tribal communities such as Todas, Kothas and Kurumbas performed tribal music and dance. Public and BJP cadres greeted the PM in Masinagudi.
Modi left Masinagudi in a chopper to Mysuru to attend an event in connection with the completion of 50 years of the Tiger Project initiative.
Posting pictures of him with Bomman and Bellie, Modi tweeted: 'What a delight to meet the wonderful Bomman and Bellie, along with Bommi and Raghu'. And, 'With the majestic elephants at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.'