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I grew up in a family that put a great emphasis on protecting and preserving our environment and natural surroundings. As a child I would accompany my grandfather to meetings and activities conducted by "Friends of the Doon" - a well known local NGO in Dehra Dun. Founded in 1983, as a pressure group against illegal mining and felling, it provided a platform for voicing the public grievances and to preserve and regenerate the environment of the Doon valley. Key activities of this group were to provide environmental education, afforestation activities, encouraging the use of non-conventional energy sources and to support the cause against limestone mining. It was in these early years that ingrained in me the love for our natural surroundings and the need to protect the same.

My father who worked with the Indian Railways has a transferable job and it is with him that I traveled and saw India. Whenever he could take out time he would take us to national parks, dams, beaches, rivers and forests in the vicinity. With the Railways he also got an opportunity to work in Africa. On our visits to Africa we traveled to animal orphanages and wildlife sanctuaries in Zimbabwe and Kenya. It was here that I knew that I was in love with Wildlife and would eventually like to work closely to it. Africa is also the place where I was introduced to photography on my father's Olympus X10 camera.

A few years ago I picked up my first camera and before I knew it photography had become a passion. Although photography is still new to me, but I know it’s here to stay. In my photographs I have showcased some glimpses of our natural heritage - the variety of flora, fauna and landscapes of the Indian sub-continent. Today we are at a very critical stage where we as a nation are on the verge of losing large chunks of natural heritage to what is termed today as progress and civilization. I hope my photographs would help us appreciate our surroundings and encourage us to stand up against all the destruction that is taking place around us.

To conclude this introduction I would like to remind us of our fundamental right as an Indian:

It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures. ~ Constitution of India, Section 51a Fundamental Duties.

My other photo galleries: www.wix.com/varunmathur/varun-mathur-photography-alt