Assistant Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Division, Madikeri, N.T. Vijaya Kumar has been honoured by the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), London, for his pictures of birds.
Disclosing this to presspersons here on Friday, Mr. Kumar said that he was among 11 photographers in the world to be conferred with the RPS honour this time. Two other Indians, Pradeep Kumar Rangaiah and Manoj Kumar also won the distinction, he said.
A communiqué from the RPS congratulated Mr. Kumar. The list of winners would soon be ratified by the RPS council, he said. This would enable him to seek an RPS fellowship in future, he added.
The agency of RPS in Bangalore selected 15 pictures of birds shot by Mr. Kumar from among 2,000 pictures and sent them to the RPS in London in January.
Mr. Kumar said his passion for photography developed in 2001 in Dandeli, Uttara Kannada, when he was asked by the then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to accompany a team of international photographers for two days to study birds in the Western Ghats. He recalled how he had bought a pair of binoculars to watch the birds.
Mr. Kumar and his daughter, who shares his interest, began identifying birds and studying their habits. Kodagu had provided immense opportunities to him as a photographer, he said and dedicated the RPS distinction to the people of the district.
