Lights Camera & Tigers .

Celebrate Wildlife Heritage Photography Exhibition by Vinod Goel

A photography exhibition to celebrate mesmerizing journey of Vinod Goel’s wildlife heritage surrounding with the tiger. Exhibition today inaugurated by Mr. Pawan Bansal Hon’ble Union Minister, for Parliamentary Affairs along with Mr. Mike Panday Indian Film Maker on wildlife & environment, Mr. Raghu Rai Padmashree Winner Indian & Wildlife Photography, Mr. Rakesh Bedi, Mr. Naresh Bedi & Mr. Vinod Goel at Art Gallery, India International Centre Annexe. The Exhibition is on till 15th December.

An Indian Customs and Central Excise Service officer from 1982 batch, choosing and chasing the subject comes naturally to Vinod Goel.  During his various stints at various places in capacities of Commissioner of Service Tax, Central Excise and Customs, Mr. Goel has been capturing the glory and diversity of the wildlife that the country has to offer.  A civil servant’s job takes him to various parts of the country and Mr. Goel looked at it as an opportunity to capture the wildlife heritage through his camera.  His passion for wildlife photography started in 2004 when he was posted at Raipur (Chattisgarh) as the Commissioner, Central Excise. Chhatisgarh and adjoining states are resplendent with wildlife and natural beauty. Naturally, Mr. Goel was drawn to the beauty of Mother Nature.  Now, his passion has taken him to various wildlife sanctuaries /national parks including Achanakmarg, Sitanadi-Udanti, Barnavapara, Nagzhira, Desert National Park, Bharatpur, Tal-Chhapar, Kulik Raiganj, Sultanpur, Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Sasan Gir, Valmik Tiger Reserve, Sur-Sarovar, Tadoba, Ranthambore, Pench, Corbett, Sunderbans, Kanha, Sariska, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Jaldapara and he has captured wildlife in its myriad forms of beauty.

On the Occasion Mr. Vinod Goel Said “An honest beginning to know secrets of nature and share my experiences to conserve our wildlife which people think may get lost after a few decades; I want that the exhibition becomes an eye opener for the new generation and want them not only to love wildlife but to have its feel, aura and glory themselves.”

India is home to the richest wildlife in the world.  With its wildlife protection efforts spreading across the entire length and breadth of the country, India along with 17 other mega diverse countries, houses nearly 60 to 70% of world’s biodiversity.  However, world over, the wildlife conservation and preservation efforts have been articulated by showing the vulnerability of wildlife against the onslaught of economic evolution or by making us aware about the dangers of the imbalance in the symbiotic relationship between the man and nature.  These approaches try to evoke guilt in the man for the development he is making at the cost of nature.  While this may be true, the artist feels the alternative approach of making people aware would be to celebrate the wildlife of India as part of its rich heritage. The artist is confident that celebration of wildlife as a heritage, rather showcasing the worrisome situation of wildlife conservation, may appeal to a large section of population.  Indian culture offers plenty of opportunities to do the same.  India is a country where many animals and birds are revered along with deities. It is the belief of the artist, therefore, that people of this country are naturally wildlife conservationists. A celebration is a better way to highlight so that people feel proud of what they have and think about what they will lose if timely action is not taken.

Through this first in the series of exhibitions, the artist showcases the Tiger’s Realm through photographs clicked across several wildlife habitats in the country over the past 8 years. The artist invites everyone to take a peek into the natural habitat of animals and birds with its glory and magnificence.