India, May 31 -- Valmik Thapar, veteran tiger conservationist and author, passed away in Delhi on Saturday morning. He had been at the forefront of tiger conservation in India since the mid-1970s and had served on over 150 committees of both central and state governments.

"His influence had been expansive, and though he worked almost exclusively in Rajasthan, with the state government, he had been instrumental in the revitalisation of other parks such as Maharashtra's beloved Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve," according to Sanctuary Nature Foundation.

"Thapar had also been vocal in eschewing the dogmatic view that all tourism is bad tourism, and is a leading proponent of innovative tourism that can benefit both parks and people. All this, h...