Indian Wildlife Club Forum

Network18, India’s most diversified media conglomerate will host the Wildlife India Forum lead by India's premiere photography magazine, Better Photography, in Bengaluru on 19^th May,2018. Others collaborating this this initiative include Toehold, the country's most specialised travel and Photography Company, Sigma and HP. The event will see some of the world’s leading photographers take the stage to showcase award-winning images and to speak on conservation efforts.

The day-long event is packed with a gallery viewing of some exceptional images from around the world, a strong line-up of talks by esteemed professionals and a panel discussion on subjects like conservation efforts that must be adopted in India, essential ethics to abide by in wildlife photography, and steps enthusiasts can take to venture into the field. The panel which will be chaired by Co-founder & CEO of Toehold,Wildlife Photographer, Jayanth Sharma, will comprise of distinguished individuals like Sudhir Shivaram (Wildlife Photographer & Enterpreneur), and H Sathish (President, Youth Photographic Society).

Emphasising the purpose of the symposium, Editor in Chief of Better Photography magazine, K Madhavan Pillai says, “Unless we make a commitment to change, the incredible images brought to us by wildlife photographers will be the memories of a bygone past, with subsequent generations viewing them,perhaps, just as dispassionately, as we do our own relics. It’s time we took a serious view on what we as individuals can do to conserve in our own small ways. It would be vital for the generations ahead.”

The main speakers this time are Vijay Mohan Raj, Joshua Barton, and Roy Mangersnes, who will be imparting their knowledge at the symposium. Vijay Mohan Raj, the IFS chief conservator of Forests, will be delivering the keynote speech. Joshua Barton, an underwater photographer and one of the most well-known expedition leaders in the world, will be talking about his personal perspectives on underwater photography. Roy Mangersnes, who is a multiple award-winning wildlife photographer from Norway, and Toehold mentor, will be talking about the artistic aspects of wildlife photography. Kalyan Varma, an international jurist, award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker, will be speaking on the intricacies of wildlife film making.  

Jayanth Sharma, wildlife photographer,Co-founder & CEO of Toehold, who will also be speaking on-stage, shared some of his thoughts about the upcoming event. “As a company that’s focused on photography and travel, our responsibility to align with the needs and demands of conservationists and environment warriors has never been more important than what it is now. We are happy to partner with Better Photography to create a purpose and goal behind all the amazing adventures we are having around the world. The very wildlife we love, needs to be showcased to the common man in a way that will inspire more and more people to fall in love with the natural world, which is the only way to think of conserving them.”

As with the previous edition, this year toowill see the unveiling of an exclusive photobook, comprising of numerouscaptivating images. Once it is up for purchase, proceeds from the sales of thebook will be used to further wildlife conservation efforts.