Kottayam teacher leads women wildlife enthusiasts on Gir photo expedition

Kottayam: Dr Aparna Purushothaman is already preparing for her next rendezvous with the wild. In December, the Kottayam-based wildlife photographer and schoolteacher will lead a 10-member group of women who share her passion for travel and forests to Gujarat's Gir National Park.

Her mission is simple, but not easy — to capture a live image of a lion in its natural habitat.

"My aim is to capture live images of the lion in Gir forest," says Aparna, a Physics teacher at Government Higher Secondary School, Pala.

Aparna has travelled to some of India's most well-known forests and wildlife habitats, including Sholayar, Kabani, Bandipur, Chinnar, Wayanad, Marayur, Munnar, Neyyar, Thekkady and Thattekkad.

For her, every journey into the wild is an opportunity to discover a new frame. Forests and wetlands have become her canvases, with wild animals and birds providing the subjects.

Aparna, who lives at Parijatham House, Thirukeralapuram, Thellakom, Kottayam, began her photography journey with a camera gifted by her husband, D Asokan, an Assistant Executive Engineer with the Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd, on their first wedding anniversary.

What began as a new hobby soon turned into a passion for wildlife photography. "What makes wildlife photography so thrilling is the long wait for the perfect moment to click the photo," says Aparna.

During her initial trips into the forests, she was accompanied by her husband. Over the years, she began travelling with others who share her passion for wildlife and photography.

Interestingly, Aparna learnt the basics of operating a camera through YouTube videos.

One of her most memorable photographs came around 14 years ago, when she captured a Nilgiri marten during a trip through Sholayar, Aliyar and Valparai. The photograph attracted considerable attention among wildlife enthusiasts and sparked discussions about the endangered animal.

Her encounters with the wild have not always been behind the safety of a camera. Aparna has had narrow escapes from wild elephants and leopards while photographing them. Yet, the risks have not diminished her fascination with the forest.

Her passion and work have also earned recognition. A recipient of the Lalithakala Akademi Award and several other honours, Aparna regularly serves as a jury member for photography contests organised by the Forest Department and other institutions.

Her passion for wildlife is also finding its way into the next generation. Her two-year-old daughter, Rithuparna, is already fascinated by Aparna's photographs of animals and birds and rarely misses an opportunity to get behind the camera.

Now, Aparna is looking ahead to December and another encounter with the wild. This time, she hopes the perfect frame will feature one of India's most iconic predators — the lion of Gir.