Lavkumar Khachar
SHRI LAVKUMAR KHACHAR of Jasdan was perhaps one of the most respected and eminent personalities in Gujarat and the whole of India in the field of nature education and conservation. In fact, his name is synonymous with Nature Education. He spent his life studying nature passionately and taught people to understand and love it.
He was born in the erstwhile royal family of Jasdan in Saurashtra, ruled by the great warrior clan of Kathis. He spent his childhood in the natural surroundings of Hingolgadh and he imbibed the interest in wildlife at that tender age and obviously the natural beauty of Hingolgadh and its surroundings inculcated many qualities in him as a true naturalist.
He was educated at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot where in 1956 he started his career teaching Biology and Geography, after completing BSc (Botany) with Honors from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. As a student of Biology, he was greatly influenced by Biologists such as Charles Darwin.
As a teacher he pioneered the concept of ‘Back to Nature’ focusing on outdoor adventure activities for the young. Rajkumar College was the first school in India to undertake such venturous outdoor activities.
His creative implementation of Nature Study Programmed so impressed the board of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – India, that he was given the responsibility of conceiving and initiating its education and youth movement in 1976.
In 1984, he took charge as the Director of Sundarvan – a nature discovery center in Ahmedabad under the aegis of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). Today, State Governments and Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) are following the model created by him across India.
He launched the nature education and camping movement that has been replicated and emulated nationwide by other nature lovers. The Hingolgadh Nature Conservation Education Programme (HNCEP), which was founded by him, is still instrumental in opening the eyes of nature lovers to the natural and cultural landscape, at the same time contributing to the local economy without threatening the local culture.
He was instrumental in notification of two very important national parks; The GREAT HIMALYAN NATIONAL PARK & THE MARINE NATIONAL PARK.
He co-authored ‘SIXTY INDIAN BIRDS’ with Late Sh. Dharmakumarsinhji and was recipient of following awards.
The Salim Ali – Loke Wan Tho Lifetime Award for Excellence in Ornithology for his pioneering work in Ornithology.
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.
Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award.