Assam’s elephant expert Dinesh Choudhury no more

Dinesh Choudhury
Dinesh Choudhury | Image Courtesy: Anupam Nath

Elephant expert and renowned photographer of Assam, Dinesh Choudhury, passed away at his residence in Guwahati on January 19. He was 76.

He was suffering from health-related complications for sometimes. “He was ill recently. It was a shock for us. He died peacefully at home,” said a family source.

Dinesh Choudhury was a renowned photographer of world repute. Several of his photographs have been published in the National Geographic magazine and some of the major publications.

He was an elephant expert who was licensed by the Assam government to tame elephants on special occasions. Choudhury was also an honorary wildlife warden.

He was educated in St Edmunds College, Shillong and went on to pursue his studies in National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore. Dinesh Choudhury worked for Dairy Development Department of Assam for several years before joining Purabi Dairy.

“He was famous worldwide for his expertise in forest conservation and elephants. A number of books and documentaries have been made on his work,” said Anupam Nath, a close aide.

Choudhury is the central figure in a book by famous journalist Tarquin Hall ‘To The Elephant Graveyard’.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son and host of grandchildren and relatives.

“My association with Dinesh da has been more than two decades old. He was a living encyclopedia on wildlife. He knew the animal behaviour in detail. It was a learning experience for me whenever I went to do photography with him,” Nath added.

Among others, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has condoled the demise of Choudhury.

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