• Howdah-carrier Dasara elephant Abhimanyu deserves  royal send-off
• Ex-Forest Minister Khandre writes to Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy
• Recalls Abhimanyu’s service in rogue elephant & tiger rescue operations

Bengaluru: Following the disappointment expressed by wildlife lovers over ignoring Dasara veteran elephant Abhimanyu, who had carried 750-kg golden howdah during the previous year Jumboo Savari procession, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has written a letter to Forest Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy, to accord a befitting farewell to Abhimanyu.

This follows the surprise decision of the Forest Department to drop Abhimanyu from this year’s Mysuru Dasara as he has completed 60 years, in compliance with the norms of retirement age.

Khandre, who had previously held the Forest portfolio, has urged to accommodate Abhimanyu in Dasara this year as ‘Nishane’ elephant, so that the pachyderm gets a majestic farewell like his predecessors, Arjuna and Balarama, who were accommodated as ‘Nishane’ elephants, till they walked into oblivion.

“People share an everlasting bond with Dasara Elephants, the prime attraction of Jumboo Savari procession. Abhimanyu has carried 750-kg golden howdah for six times, besides regularly participating in Dasara for 22 times, earning his own legion of fans,” explained Khandre.

“Abhimanyu has also been a part of operations to rescue more than 300 rogue elephants and more than 80 tigers. Previously, when howdah carrier elephants Arjuna and Balarama retired, they were accommodated as ‘Nishane’ elephants,” he said.