Shivakumar Gangal, IFS

If you had told me that this animal exists, 2 years ago when I got selected in the Indian Forest Service, I would have laughed. Here it is, one of nature's marvels - "Flying Squirrel". The take off, the glide, the landing, every bit of it is a spectacle to witness.

There’s something special about walking into the Forest Research Institute (FRI), the campus where IFS officers are trained, and where top-notch research on forestry takes place. Tucked against the Himalayan foothills, this place isn’t just a landmark—it feels like a pause from…

Linear infrastructure like roads, railways, dams, powerlines, etc, silently wreak havoc in the grand scheme of ecosystem and biodiversity. They divide habitats, making it harder and sometimes impossible to cross for many species. And many perish in the attempt to do so.…

In what is a landmark development in gender representation in civil services, the IFS (Indian Forest Service) Association has elected an all-women national executive body. The IFS Association is one of the 36 organised civil services associations in the country. This historic…

"The harmony of natural law reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection." - Albert Einstein. Do you believe that there's a higher intelligence and purposeful…

Geological forces are often credited for the grand and impressive natural wonders of the world. That's true. But it's the "forests" that add essence and value, especially in the case of numerous waterfalls across the world. Here's the "Jog Falls" from Karnataka: the 2nd highest…

It's the Grey Parrot. Yes, it looks very attractive and appealing. The desire to possess it and hear it sing and talk takes over, but that's where the problem begins. Millions of wild animals across the globe are traded illegally, violently, which deprives these species of the…

Test cricket was, is, and will always be the truest format, truest "test" of cricket. Each run scored, each run defended, each run conceded, each wicket taken, each wicket given away is forged in blood, sweat, and tears. India's fight today will forever be remembered in the…

Hog deers once danced and thrived in the floodplains and grasslands from Pakistan to Thailand but now survive only in scattered pockets across India’s riverine grasslands. Conversion of grasslands into agricultural lands and destruction of floodplains throughout their home range…

Virat Kohli, after winning this year's IPL - "You know, this moment is right up there with the best moments I've had in my career. But it still marks five levels under Test cricket. That's how much I value Test cricket. And that's how much I love Test cricket. So if you want to…