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| {{Infobox person | |||
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| |name = Taukeer Alam | |||
| |image =File:Taukeer Alam.jpg | |||
| |caption=Alam in November 2019 | |||
| |image_size = | |||
| |birth_date = | |||
| |birth_place = ]<ref name="scroll"/>, ], India | |||
| |death_place = | |||
| |occupation = {{Hlist | Nature conservation activist |environmentalist}} | |||
| | spouse = | |||
| | children = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Taukeer Alam''' is an Indian ] activist, writer, ] and birder from ]. He has documented the traditional knowledge of the ], his community residing primarily in the in the ] region, and has authored three books<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fellow Update: Taukeer Alam |url=https://inlaksfoundation.org/community/updates/fellow-update-taukeer-alam/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation |language=en}}</ref> and translated over 170 children's books in his native language, ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Free Online Children's Stories To Read {{!}} StoryWeaver |url=https://storyweaver.org.in/en/stories?language=Van%20Gujjari%20%28Devanagari%20Script%29&query=&sort=Ratings |website=storyweaver.org.in/ |access-date=11 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He has also worked with the state forest department to educate over 4,000 students on ].<ref name=":0"/> | '''Taukeer Alam''' is an Indian ] activist, writer, ] and birder from ]. He has documented the traditional knowledge of the ], his community residing primarily in the in the ] region, and has authored three books<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fellow Update: Taukeer Alam |url=https://inlaksfoundation.org/community/updates/fellow-update-taukeer-alam/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation |language=en}}</ref> and translated over 170 children's books in his native language, ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Free Online Children's Stories To Read {{!}} StoryWeaver |url=https://storyweaver.org.in/en/stories?language=Van%20Gujjari%20%28Devanagari%20Script%29&query=&sort=Ratings |website=storyweaver.org.in/ |access-date=11 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He has also worked with the state forest department to educate over 4,000 students on ].<ref name=":0"/> | ||
| == Early life == | == Early life == | ||
| ] | |||
| Alam was born into the ] in ], and grew up in ], developing an early interest in observing wildlife, particularly birds.<ref name="scroll">{{cite web |last1=Chakrabarty |first1=Arpita |title=Meet Taukeer Alam, the school dropout who has become one of Uttarakhand’s top birders |url=https://scroll.in/magazine/895647/meet-taukeer-alam-the-school-dropout-who-has-become-one-of-uttarakhands-top-birders |website=Scroll.in |access-date=29 December 2024 |language=en |date=19 November 2018}}</ref> His grandparents were ], migrating from Rajaji with their ] herds to the grasslands in the upper ] during summer, and migrating back to Rajaji post monsoons. In 1983 Rajaji was declared a national park, forcing the Van Gujjars to quit pastorialism and relocate outside of the forest, and work as agricultural labourers. Following a larger disruption in 2003 his family moved to ] near ] when he was nine. He was admitted to school but dropped out within days, staying at home for the following two years.<ref name="scroll"/> | Alam was born into the ] in ], and grew up in ], developing an early interest in observing wildlife, particularly birds.<ref name="scroll">{{cite web |last1=Chakrabarty |first1=Arpita |title=Meet Taukeer Alam, the school dropout who has become one of Uttarakhand’s top birders |url=https://scroll.in/magazine/895647/meet-taukeer-alam-the-school-dropout-who-has-become-one-of-uttarakhands-top-birders |website=Scroll.in |access-date=29 December 2024 |language=en |date=19 November 2018}}</ref> His grandparents were ], migrating from Rajaji with their ] herds to the grasslands in the upper ] during summer, and migrating back to Rajaji post monsoons. In 1983 Rajaji was declared a national park, forcing the Van Gujjars to quit pastorialism and relocate outside of the forest, and work as agricultural labourers. Following a larger disruption in 2003 his family moved to ] near ] when he was nine. He was admitted to school but dropped out within days, staying at home for the following two years.<ref name="scroll"/> | ||
Revision as of 13:13, 29 December 2024
| Taukeer Alam | |
|---|---|
 Alam in November 2019 | |
| Born | Rajaji National Park, Uttarakhand, India |
| Occupations |
|
Taukeer Alam is an Indian nature conservation activist, writer, community educator and birder from Uttarakhand. He has documented the traditional knowledge of the Van Gujjar people, his community residing primarily in the in the Sivalik Hills region, and has authored three books and translated over 170 children's books in his native language, Van Gujjari. He has also worked with the state forest department to educate over 4,000 students on environmental protection.
Early life
Alam was born into the Van Gujjar tribe in Uttarakhand, and grew up in Rajaji National Park, developing an early interest in observing wildlife, particularly birds. His grandparents were nomadic pastorialists, migrating from Rajaji with their water buffalo herds to the grasslands in the upper Himalayas during summer, and migrating back to Rajaji post monsoons. In 1983 Rajaji was declared a national park, forcing the Van Gujjars to quit pastorialism and relocate outside of the forest, and work as agricultural labourers. Following a larger disruption in 2003 his family moved to Gaindi Khata near Haridwar when he was nine. He was admitted to school but dropped out within days, staying at home for the following two years.
Career
At the age of 18, he started assisting researchers from the Bangalore-based Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science. Later he joined the Nature Science Initiative at Dehradun as a field coordinator, assisting in field research and data analysis. In six years he became one of the most prominent birders from Uttarakhand.
Community education
It was reported in 2023 that Alam and his friends conducted a survey in 2018 or earlier, finding out about 600 out of 3,200 being enrolled in schools, and only about 100 attending schools. In 2018 he and with his Van Gujjar friends established a school in Laldhang to teach children from the Van Gujjar settlements. Later this team established an organisation called Maee ("buffalo caretaker" in Van Gujjari) to educate children. In 2019 he and the Maee team established a community-run library in his house. In 2022, the number of students came down to 100 from 250 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been collaborating with the forest department to take children for environmental conservation trips, teaching them about seed dispersal and other bird behaviour through birdwatching festivals and training programmes.
Selected works
- Alam, Taukeer (April 2024). Vana Gujjarī Kahāniyāṃ. Maee.
- Alam, Taukeer (April 2024). Vana Gujjarī Hindī Śabdakośa. Maee.
- Alam, Taukeer (April 2024). Vana Gujjarī Baiṃta: Vana Gujjarī Gīta. Maee.
- Alam, Taukeer (April 2024). Bajarāta Te Khvāna: Vana Gujjarī Paheliyām̐ Aura Lokokatiyām̐. Maee.
See also
References
- ^ Chakrabarty, Arpita (19 November 2018). "Meet Taukeer Alam, the school dropout who has become one of Uttarakhand's top birders". Scroll.in. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
- ^ "Fellow Update: Taukeer Alam". Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- "Free Online Children's Stories To Read | StoryWeaver". storyweaver.org.in/. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- "eBirders - Uttarakhand, India - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
- ^ Thakur, Jyoti (30 January 2023). "Community classrooms sow hope among Van Gujjar children". Village Square. Retrieved 29 December 2024.