Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Bandipore Tiger Reserve in Karnataka to celebrate 50 years of “Project Tiger” and participate in a 20-km safari. During his visit, he saw habitat improvements, water holes, and elephant camps. He also interacted with frontline field staff and self-help groups involved in conservation activities. The PM visited the Theppakadu Elephant Camp of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, where he met the orphaned elephant featured in the Oscar-winning documentary ‘The Elephant Whisperers’. PM Modi then attended an inaugural programme at the Karnataka State Open University in Mysuru, where he released the government’s vision plan for tiger conservation and launched the International Big Cats Alliance. The PM also released the tiger census numbers for 2022 and the Management Effectiveness Evaluation report of tiger reserves, along with a commemorative coin on the 50 years of the tiger project.