On nature’s trail

Bhopal, Oct. 11: Putting boardroom resolutions and power presentations behind, Mukesh Ambani will retreat to Kanha National Park this month-end to recharge his batteries.

Bookings for five have been made from October 24 to 28 in Baghira Log Huts at Kisli in the heart of the park, said Kanha forest conservator P.B. Gangopadhya. This is being seen as indication the Reliance Industries chairman will be joined by wife Nita, their two children and mother Kokilaben.

The planned break comes days after the October 19 announcement of the company’s keenly-awaited second-quarter results.

Sensing a “business opportunity,” chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has declared the Ambanis state guests, which would entitle the family to an escort and security facilities. However, no meeting with the Madhya Pradesh chief minister is on the cards in the retreat, apparently because Mukesh does not want to mix pleasure with work.

Like his father Dhirubhai, Mukesh has a soft spot for national parks. He had visited Kanha and Banghaogarh as former chief minister Digvijay Singh’s personal guest.

Sources close to Digvijay recall how Mukesh, a vegetarian, shed formalities to enjoy the idyllic beauty of sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams in the 940-square km Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Touted as India’s richest man by a global business publication, Mukesh’s preferences are surprisingly modest. Tariffs at Kisli huts, run by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Corporation, are in the range of Rs 2,000 a night.

At Kanha, the Ambanis will savour the sights of its famed tigers, the Indian hare, the Indian wild dog, barking deer, the Indian bison and a host of other animals.

Incidentally, Kanha is one of the eight parks adjudged “very good” by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India, largely because of its ability to protect tigers.

Mukesh is a known wildlife buff, too, having signed up for the Friends of Kaziranga Forum, formed to ensure preservation and promotion of the one-horned rhino.

Adi Godrej, Peter Mukherjea, Gayatri Devi, African rhino specialist Richard H. Emsile and the Wildlife Institute of India’s V.B. Mathur are among other prominent members.

Mukesh had stumped up a Rs 300-crore guarantee to the Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority, making sure he had done enough to prevent possible pollution from a Reliance unit in the Maharashtra borough.