To commemorate five decades of India’s most storied tiger habitat, acclaimed photographer and conservationist Kairav Engineer is set to premiere ‘Ranthambhore—50 Iconic Years,’ a landmark photographic volume accompanied by a multi-sensory exhibition. The event will take place from January 20 to 22, 2026, at the CCA Building, Bikaner House, New Delhi, and is presented by RRV Photography.
The project also marks a poignant final collaboration with the late Valmik Thapar (1952–2025), widely regarded as the “Tiger Man of India,” who co-authored the work before his passing. Thapar, who authored over 40 books and shaped national as well as global conservation conversations through his lifelong advocacy for Ranthambhore’s tigers, remains central to the spirit of the book and exhibition.
A five-decade visual archive
Established in 1974, Ranthambhore National Park celebrated its golden jubilee in 2024. ‘Ranthambhore – 50 Iconic Years’ chronicles the park’s journey through a rare archive built over five decades. The book traces Ranthambhore’s evolution from its early uncertain days to becoming one of the world’s most iconic tiger tourism destinations, captured through Engineer’s lens that blends creative depth with a conservationist’s precision.
Engineer, also the Executive Director at Astral Limited, has long been recognised for integrating engineering-led solutions into wildlife protection. Through the Astral Foundation, his conservation work has supported multiple habitat-focused interventions across India, ranging from solar-powered waterholes to rapid-response patrol systems.
Departing from a conventional chronological record, the book honours Thapar’s belief that the jungle is a place of constant discovery. Structured like a series of safaris, the narrative unfolds so “every turn of the page brings an unexpected surprise.” The volume is further enriched by contributions from over 130 Indian and international photographers, offering a collective and multi-generational view of Ranthambhore’s visual legacy.
An exhibition where heritage meets the wild
The exhibition expands the book launch into an immersive journey across two floors of the CCA Building at Bikaner House, blending high-fidelity photography with archival history.
On the ground floor, visitors will enter a Book Lounge before moving into a curated historical walkthrough that traces Ranthambhore from the Mughal period to the present day. Featuring archival maps, rare paintings, and historical texts, this section explores the “Early Wildlife” era and the unique co-existence of humans and predators around the ruins of Ranthambhore Fort.
A Timeline Corridor will act as a text-driven record of wildlife milestones, leading into the Film Room, which will feature rare documentary footage and screenings of Valmik Thapar’s iconic BBC works, offering a cinematic tribute to the man who brought India’s tigers into living rooms around the world.
The first floor shifts into the visceral, untamed beauty of the jungle. Large-scale installations and lightboxes will showcase powerful imagery crowdsourced from a wide community of photographers who have documented Ranthambhore over the last 50 years. The visuals will be paired with a soundscape recorded in the wilderness, creating an all-encompassing sensory immersion into the tiger’s domain.
Proceeds to support Tiger Watch
In alignment with the project’s conservation spirit, all proceeds from the book and exhibition will be donated to Tiger Watch, Valmik Thapar’s charity of choice. The funds will support anti-poaching initiatives and contribute to the welfare of frontline forest guards, described as the true custodians of Ranthambhore.
Event Details
Ranthambhore – 50 Iconic Years
Dates: 20–22 January 2026
Time: 11 AM to 7 PM
Venue: CCA Building, Bikaner House, New Delhi
Presented by: RRV Photography
With a powerful blend of history, imagery, and conservation-driven purpose, the exhibition promises to be a fitting tribute to Ranthambhore’s legacy and to the enduring voice of Valmik Thapar.
