Mysuru: ‘Kaadinolagondu Jeeva,’ a book based on first-hand experiences of the famed Forest Ranger K.M. Chinnappa (now retired) will be released in city on July 2 by Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, President and driving force behind Adamya Chethana Trust, Bengaluru, and the wife of late H.N. Ananth Kumar, Union Minister. 

The event will be held at Hotel Roost on Hunsur Road at 10.30 am and it is organised by Wildlife First and Bharathi Prakashana, Mysuru. The book is written by T.S. Gopal, retired Principal of Srimangala Junior College and has been published by Poornachandra Tejaswi Prakashana in the year 2000. 

When the book was published it was an instant hit and was published in three volumes. Later in 2010, Navakarnataka Publication published a comprehensive collection of all the three volumes. The 400-page book has 14 pages of colourful photos and has many stories and experiences of Chinnappa. 

About K.M. Chinnappa

Born in 1941 at Kumatoor village in South Kodagu to an Armed Forces family, Kotrangada M. Chinnappa is the quintessential wildlife protector. A true son of the soil, his father was a soldier who took to farming after retirement. Chinnappa joined the Karnataka Forest Department as a Forester in 1967 and has been a frontline warrior all his life. 

For much of his career he served as a Ranger in Nagarahole where he was best known for his uncompromising ways and his almost fanatical adherence to law. 

When Chinnappa joined as the Ranger at Nagarahole, the region was infested with numerous criminal activities such as timber smuggling, marijuana plantation, poaching, cattle grazing, setting up of unauthorised breweries at the sanctuary although the area was set up for protecting wildlife. 

However, Chinnappa pledged to bring a dramatic change in the way the forest functioned. He ensured that the number of tigers and deer, which were dangerously low, increased, all the encroachers were chased from the forest and the wild animal natural habitats were restored. When he joined Nagarahole, the forest area was only 250 sqkm and now it has expanded to 653 sqkm. 

During his struggle for wildlife conservation, Chinnappa became an enemy of many people. He was always on the threshold of getting killed. In the year 1970, he barely escaped from death when a gang armed with sticks attempted to attack him during his visit to a temple. 

Chinnappa was made to surrender his licensed revolver because many people who did not support him addressed him as a criminal and threat. Chinnappa was falsely accused of a murder which forced him to spend 12 days in a prison before he was found guilt-free. 

In 1992, an angry mob burned his newly constructed home few days after the work was completed in Kumatoor. He fought the long battle and faced many difficulties and unexpectedly resigned from his post in 1993. He won the CM’s Gold Medal in 1985. Now, Chinnappa is the President of Wildlife First, continuing his crusade against timber mafia and green destructors. He is also into agriculture, his passion.