Chennai deserves to be celebrated for its inclusiveness: Wildlife conservationist Zai Whitaker
Wildlife conservationist Zai Whitaker reflects on her 52-year journey in Chennai, praising the city for its inclusive community and environmental awareness. She highlights how the city's welcoming nature and collective efforts toward nature conservation have made it a unique place to live.
Why it matters
Provides a human-interest perspective on urban development and social integration in one of India's major metropolitan hubs.
I’ve been in Chennai for 52 years. I was 20 when I came to Chennai, practically a child. I was first called “ thangachi ”, then it became “ akka ”, then “amma ”, and now people call me “ paati ”. Having grown up in a naturalist family, I knew that was I wanted to do. When I came here, it felt as though the world here had just been created for my arrival and enjoyment.
I never wanted to go back to Bombay (now Mumbai) despite many opportunities. Every time I travelled to another city, I would long to get back because, somehow, I never felt threatened here. When I first came, the roads were wide and open, there were very few cars, and there were many huge trees. Some parts of the city are still extremely pleasant.
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