Discussions in regard to the conservation of wildlife are always in the air but instances of individual contribution are not much spoken of.

Suresh Ragavan, a 59-year-old man from Vadavalli, has taken an effort to conserve the flora and fauna by painting an image of it to keep it alive. So far, Ragavan has managed to illustrate 50 endemic species, 42 endemic wild animals and 155 endemic orchids.

Ragavan is presently working as an illustrator in the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) over the years and has drawn real-time images of species such as the Nilgiri wood pigeon, Asiatic lion, Nilgiri marten, grey-fronted green pigeon, Aenhenrya rotundifolia and Brachycorythis Iantha. Most of these birds, plants, and animals are from the Western Ghats.

He is trying to capture the best possible accurate details such as feather textures, natural color spectrum, and so on. He drew them all for the coming generations so that they don't forget about these near-extinct forms of life. He is getting immense support for his task.

He provides both Tamil and English names to create awareness for the coming generations which shall serve as protecting these forms.

His entire practice outside of his work is like expensed from his pocket. Spent most of the leisure time in making these illustrations while each drawing almost taking a week's duration to get completed.

He is not in a mood of commodifying his art as that can somewhere hurt his primal motive. He has begun approaching many schools, colleges, and fairs to exhibit his art.

Ragavan is actually working for the future by drawing in the present so that the existing life forms don't lose out their way.

.    .    .

Reference:

• newsindianexpress.com