Overview

• Vatsala collapsed near Khairaiyaan drain on July 8 after injuries to her front‐leg nails left her unable to stand, and she died despite efforts by forest staff and veterinarians.
• Born in Kerala’s Nilambur forests and moved to Madhya Pradesh in 1971, she joined Panna Tiger Reserve in 1993 and worked in tiger-tracking operations until retiring in 2003.
• After retirement she earned the affectionate title ‘Dadi Maa’ by guiding and nurturing elephant calves, becoming a key attraction for tourists at the reserve.
• Decades of veterinary supervision treated her cataracts and leg ailments while daily baths and a special diet extended her life well beyond typical elephant longevity.
• Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Panna officials paid tribute at her cremation, spotlighting her symbolic role and the challenges of verifying her century-plus age without birth records.