WWF India, Nokia join hands in campaign to save tigers

New Delhi, Jul 27 (UNI) It was yet another example of a social welfare organisation joining hands with a corporate body for a social cause.

Joining the list of corporates ''wedding their business interest with a social cause'', leading mobile communications company, Nokia India today embarked on a partnership with WWF-India, a conservation organisation to save tigers that live in different parts of India.

As their joint commitment to ''save the Tiger'', Secretary General and CEO, WWF India, Ravi Singh and VP and Managing Director, Nokia India D Shivakumar unveiled a "Tiger Wall of Hope" here in New Delhi.

The wall, that has been created out of original pugmarks embedded in plaster of Paris encased in acrylic, is a grim reminder of the critical numbers of tigers left in the wild.

Speaking at the function, Mr Ravi Singh said,''these pugmarks are a grim reminder of the critical numbers of tigers left in the wild.'' On WWF India's partnering Nokia India in this initiative, Mr Singh said,''we are proud to be partners with Nokia in India. Globally, Nokia has been involved in several conservation initiatives with WWF network and we are happy to see this relationship extend here.

This is an important step to incorporate institutional support for conservation, significantly tiger conservation in India, an important beginning at this critical time for conservation in our country.'' The wall, which has come all the way from Mumbai to Delhi, will be displayed in Chennai as well.

As part of the campaign to save the Tiger, Nokia and WWF-India will work together towards educating the villagers for sustainable development, increasing awareness on tiger conservation, and identifying alternative livelihood programmes for the villagers around the national parks, specifically the Ranthambore National Park.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shivakumar of Nokia India said,''leadership calls for responsibility and as India's most trusted brand, we are committed to contribute to the holistic and sustainable development of the environment where we operate.'' During the event, a panel discussion was organised with eminent conservationists and concerned personalities like Mr P K Sen, Ms Leena Nandan, Mr Rajesh Gopal and Dr Anuj Saxena who deliberated on various factors responsible for the depleting tiger population in India and the roles various section of society need to play.

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