The Book Of Indian Dogs by S. Theodore Baskaran, The first Comprehensive Guide to Indian Dog Breeds in Over fifty Years.
About this Book - Buy Book - Click Here - In 1968, at a small wayside railway station in the extreme south of India, near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, I noticed a man waiting for the train. With him were two exquisite white dogs. They lay curled up on the floor of the platfonn, resting their muzzles on their forepaws and looking listlessly at passers-by. Improvised aloe-rope leashes were tied around their necks, the other ends held by the owner who sat on his haunches, dragging at a bidi with great determination. Download full PDF - Click Here
They were Rajapalayam dogs, he told me, and they were on their way to estates in the Anaimalais in the Western Ghats for guard duty. He pointed to the many scars on the pale white coats of the dogs and said that they had encountered quite a few boars in the hills near Rajapalayam. Sensing my scepticism, he said 'watch this' and dicked his tongue twice. The dogs were electrified into action. They were on their feet in a flash and stood pulsating with anticipation for the next command. That is how the dogs are put on alert when a boar is located, the man said. It was a magnificent display and I was fascinated. Would it be possible for him to procure a pup for me? By the time the train arrived, it was agreed that he would bring me one. I gave him my address and forgot about it.
Five months later, early one morning, he arrived at my Tiruchi home and handed over a small bundle. I removed the grimy towel covering it, and Madhu entered our lives. Almost immediately he began to look upon our house as his new home and soon assumed the role of guardian with all seriousness. My engagement with Indian dogs had begun in right earnest. Read More
About the Author -
A lifelong dog lover, S. Theodore Baskaran has raised many dogs, including two Indian breeds. He has been associated with the Kennel Club of India, Chennai, and was a member of the show committee. He was instrumental in bringing out a set of four postage stamps on indigenous breeds of dogs.
Baskaran is a well-known naturalist and conservationist. He served two terms as a trustee of WWF India and has been an honorary wildlife warden in Chennai. His book The Dance of the Sarus: Essays of a Wandering Naturalist was published in 1999.
He edited a book on Indian wildlife, The Sprint of the Blackbuck. He writes frequently on conservation for The Hindu and Frontline. He has also contributed to important anthologies such as An Anthology of Indian Wildlife, Waterlines: Rivers of India and Voices in the Wilderness.
He writes on conservation in Tamil in magazines like Uyirmmai and Kalachuvadu and also has three books on conservation in Tamil to his credit. He believes that to make conservation a people’s movement the discourse has to be in local languages.
Baskaran’s other scholarly interests include film studies and art history, areas in which he has published books and articles. His book, The Eye of the Serpent, won the National Award for Best Writing on Cinema, 1997.
He was awarded the Iyal Virudhu for Lifetime Achievement in Tamil Writing by the Canada-based Literary Garden. He is a graduate of the National Defence College. He retired as Chief Postmaster General of Tamil Nadu. He lives with his wife in Bangalore.
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