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Valmik Thapar, India’s ‘Tiger Man’, dies at 73 after battle with cancer

Leaders worldwide have honoured his five-decade campaign to protect tigers.

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Valmik Thapar. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
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Overview

  • Thapar died on May 31, 2025, in New Delhi at age 73 after a year-long struggle with cancer.
  • He co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988 to pioneer community-based tiger conservation in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park.
  • He served on more than 150 government panels, including the National Board for Wildlife and the 2005 Tiger Task Force, and he was a vocal critic of India’s Project Cheetah reintroduction plan over habitat and expertise concerns.
  • Thapar authored over 30 books and presented landmark documentaries such as the BBC’s Land of the Tiger, becoming a global spokesman for India’s wild cats.
  • His passing prompted tributes from political leaders and conservationists who credited him with reshaping national wildlife policies and inspiring a new generation of advocates.