KAMALPUR, July 25 (TIWN): The month of July got marked with the celebration of Vanmahotsav or the festival of planting saplings. Throughout the country, the forestation and wild-life conservation mania got celebrated with lofty speeches, colourful arrangements and the show of planting trees.

But, the irony remained in the fact that, the Kenyan person who felt the need of and worked for the conservation of forests and wildlife got forgotten by the countrymen. The only exception remained in the fact that, the Corbett National Park still resembled the memory of that personality.

Otherwise, in the period when the surge of nationalism found suddenly overwhelming than the legacy to the foreigner remained a sin. And in this connection, the birth day of Edward James Corbett, popularly known as Jim Corbett got forgotten.

141 years ago Corbett was born on 25^th July in 1875 at Nainital near Kumaon foothills at present Uttarakhand and the erstwhile United Province. Being the eighth child of Christopher Corbett and Mary Jane Corbett was brought up amidst the rich nature of the area.

It might be mentioned here that, Corbett’s father Christopher came to Nainital in 1862 when he was appointed as the Postmaster there. Later, Corbett completed his schooling and college education at Nainital at Philander Smith College, erstwhile Oak Opening School and Sherwood College.

Jim in his professional life joined the British Indian Army as a Colonel. Besides, he was a keen wildlife photographer, author, conservationist and naturalist. He was famous for his hunting of man-eaters and the books on those.

He killed 33 animals including 19 Tigers and 14 Leopards in between 1911 to 1938 which turned man-eaters. But another astounding fact about Jim left unknown to the most people. He was a keen conservationist.  He used to give lectures in schools and colleges to make people aware about the need of the conservation of the forests and the wildlife.

Further, he helped to create conservation organizations like Association for the Preservation of Game in the United Province, All India Conference for the Preservation of Wild Life and Hailey National Park which was later renamed after his name.

But, it remained an irony that, in the month of forestation and preservation, this personality remained forgotten and the Forest Departments or different conservation organizations felt no need to at least celebrate the birthday of this personality to cater his thoughts and ideas more effectively.