NATURE LOVERS
“My love for the planet keeps me going. I remind myself of the young people who are doing so much for the cause. They give me strength.”
—Dia Mirza
Dr Krithi Karanth: What are your earliest and happiest memories of being in wildlife and in nature?
I grew up in Hyderabad when our homes were surrounded by big trees and streams and rocks, and we would take walks or explore lakes and butterflies and birds. During the monsoon, red beetles would come out in the garden, and it was fascinating to discover them. I also went to a beautiful school in Hyderabad called Vidyaranya High School, where classes were held under big banyan and trees, and we would go birdwatching on the hill within the premises. There was a gentleman called Mr Dolphin, who had many pets in the school, and he would put birds in large cages to give them more space to fly. My childhood included immense interaction with nature. We went rock climbing, hiking, trekking and, ironically enough, given how much I love nature and wildlife, I happened to explore a forest for the first time when filming for in Madhya Pradesh. I cannot describe the magic of it; it was the most amazing feeling. I don’t think anything else has made me feel more alive and mesmerised. I realise now that not everyone feels for nature the same way. But during that time, my only thoughts were why I had waited for so long to visit it; this was my place. This is where I belong. I was in love.
