Anant Ambani's Vantara Team Becomes Beacon Of Hope For Ailing Elephant in Tripura | Video

Agartala: Months after the launch of Reliance Foundation's animal shelter Vantara, a video lauding Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's youngest son Anant Ambani and his Vantara team is gaining widespread attention on the internet and for all the right reasons. The video voiced by a woman thanks Anant Ambani and Vantara's team of doctors for their prompt action and saving an ailing elephant and its calf in Tripura's Unakoti district.

In the viral video, the woman, identified as ‘Go Green and Help Stray Animals’ organisation General Secretary Kuntala Sinha, can be heard saying how the Vantara team reached Unakoti within a day of her approaching them for help in treating the elephant.

"I want to thank Anant Ambani ji who has sent his entire Vantara team for this ailing elephant and its calf in Tripura's Unakoti district
without any delay. I just mailed them one day ago and the very next day, a team was here from Vantara. I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who helped me in this matter and supported me in saving this elephant," she said.

As per reports, the ailing elephant ‘Pratima’ and her calf ‘Manik Lal’ who were kept at Kailashahar Tripura’s in Unakoti district for several weeks were later sent to Vantara in Gujarat for treatment.

Sinha said that after witnessing a viral social media post, she went to the house of the ailing elephant’s owner in north Tripura’s Kailashahar and found that the 52-year old elephant was critically ill and needs serious and long-time medical treatments. She said, "I approached the Tripura Forest and Wildlife Department but they initially did not respond properly. Then I approached PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India, and MP Maneka Sanjay Gandhi."

Sinha said that she also approached the Tripura High Court for its intervention. She said, "After High Court’s and Maneka Gandhi’s intervention, the Tripura Forest Department officials became active. The High Court directed the Forest Department to take appropriate steps for the ailing elephant’s medical treatment."

In the meantime, she approached the ‘Vantara’ authority, which quickly sent a three-member team to Kailashahar and after a series of consultations with all concerned including the elephant owner, the Jumbo and her calf was taken to Vantara for intensive medical treatment and care.

Vantara is an umbrella initiative which focusses on rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad. Spread over 3000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance's Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally.

All You Need To Know About Vantara

Vantara has been conceptualised and birthed under the leadership of Anant Ambani, said Reliance in its statement.

Over the last few years, the programme has rescued more than 200 elephants, and thousands of other animals, reptiles and birds from unsafe situations. It has undertaken initiatives in key species including rhino, leopard and crocodile rehabilitation.

About the expansion, Anant Ambani said that the process in ongoing. “The process is going to be ongoing. We build slowly and slowly. This is something which will take a lot of time, we don't have a definite answer. Every time, we will be adding something new,” said Ambani.

Explaining about the centre, Anant Ambani said, “We have a total of about 3,000 people working for Green's Zoological Research and Rescue Center. Out of that, we have approximately 20-30 expats. All the expats are in the role of teachers or professors. We take young graduates who have just finished their veterinary graduation from different backgrounds, like nutritionists. We also have some human doctors who are extremely passionate about animals."