12 October, Friday
Today morning I saw a mail from
Raza, who feels depressed with his recent experience at the interview held for
selection for a job. The personal traits reflected of Raza in his writings on
wildlife convince me that he must be a good and methodical student of
engineering too. In spite of doing well in the written examination, Raza didn't get the first job he applied for. The reason for
his ‘rejection was his passion towards wildlife and forest conservation’. The
people interviewing him for HR were ‘candid enough to let him know that his
passion for wildlife and forest conservation, his booklet on Cheetah and other
writings from him just didn't work for the employers as they believed that these
attributes would eventually pull the employee away from their company once they
hired him and they--- (the internationally known computer-related business
consultancy services provider)--- couldn't take that risk’. The mail and the
feelings contained in it were a bit shock for me, but I don’t see it is the
end. I sent sharp a consolation and encouraging letter to Raza hoping that he
will be back to his normal.
Let me go back by a decade. From
Similipal we used to conduct Nature Camps for various target groups of
students, teachers and NGO-personalities. We also conducted Orientation
Programmes for local drivers who drove tourists to the Tiger Reserve. I was at
the centre of at least two down-to-earth training programmes for Tourist Guides. The objectives were to generate supporters
for wildlife conservation in every sphere of social profile surrounding the
Tiger Reserve. For graduate and post-graduate students I always give a very
rosy picture about usefulness of wildlife experiences, and say that ‘wildlife-related experiences’ or
‘wildlife-related interests’ may not give them a full-fledged job in the wildlife
sector but it could help them to get to their other chosen field. For the last
10-11years I have often narrated a story to many students.
It is about a bright student of Physics from Maharaja
Purna Chandra College
For many reasons Bhanjabasa was our southern-most census
unit in Similipal. It is a Forester (Section) Headquarter and reachable by van
or jeep. I had my first King Cobra experience of Similipal there. The area extending
up to Putulidiha, Ghaghra and Nekdanacha etc. always gave good tiger
experiences. It has enriched my own research on tiger and also the
understanding about the pressure mounted by people from periphery down the
Similipal hills. Later, all these helped me to write the Biosphere Management
Plan.
After leaving the census groups at Bhanjabasa, I came to
Upper Barha Kamuda from where I was coordinating the census units in southern
and south-central part of Similipal. One day I marked Partha had brought a
voluminous book which he was reading as a preparation for Bank Probationary
Officer. He used to read it in the night and in early morning before setting
out to the field. He was good in field work--- full of questions and full of
interpretations.
Field work and the analyses for Tiger census were over.
Months passed by. In the meantime Partha got through the written examination
for Probationary Officer in State Bank of India
After a few days, Partha came to me with a packet of sweets
to celebrate. Reason---, he has been finally selected for the job of PO in
SBI. He joined the training, then the regular job. For some time he remained in
regular touch with me over the phone. He got married. His efficiency took him to
serve in one of the Branches of his Bank in the USA
MORALE of the two stories: all employers may not be
equally nature-oriented. Some may be more instrument-oriented.
