WWF loses a young conservationist, Pankaj Sarmah

WWF loses a young conservationist, Pankaj Sarmah

WWF-India expresses deep grief and sorrow at the sudden demise of Pankaj Sarmah, one of the team members of North Bank Landscape (NBL) working with the Asian Elephant and Rhino Conservation Programme. Pankaj who was only 30 years of age was suffering from cerebral malaria. He succumbed to his illness on 3rd October 2006.

Pankaj was associated with NBL conservation work since 21st June 2001 and was one of the earliest recruits in the programme. Pankaj dedicated his work towards mitigating Human-Elephant conflict in Assam and did the first studies for WWF-India in the area of NBL and the Kaziranga landscape. Most recently he had been instrumental in forming the Manas Conservation Alliance, a coalition of 20 NGOs and individuals committed to conserving Manas. Pankaj represented WWF in several symposia including the elephant symposium in Colombo. He was to attend another elephant symposium in Denmark to present a paper on elephant conservation in conflict areas.

Pankaj’s parents live in Tezpur with his brothers Anupam Sarmah, who is also working with WWF-India in the NBL programme. Pankaj, the youngest of three siblings, had a Masters degree in Zoology from the University of Tezpur and was a first class student. We were truly fortunate to have a person of such a strong commitment and dedication as Pankaj in our team. He has left behind for conservation his deep understanding of elephants in the NBL based on actual observation and scientific study. Pankaj’s positive attitude and exceptional good nature, sincerity, cheerfulness and courage will be missed by all his friends and colleagues. The loss is personal to WWF-India and we will remember him by continuing the important work initiated and towards ensuring its success.