C. Rajagopalachari
Rajaji National Park is located in the picturesque hills of Shivalik ranges and opens up into the Indo-Gangetic plans in the State of Uttarakhand, India. Being the North-Western most limit of distribution of endangered species like Tiger, Leopard, Hyeana, Asian Elephant. Great Pied Hornbill, Indian Pangolin and King Cobra Rajaji Tiger Reserve has immense conservation value. It constitutes an important part of the Terai-Arc Landscape (7500 sq.km.) between Yamuna river in North-West and Sharda river in the South-East. It is also an important entity of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve.
There is an interesting anecdote behind the creation of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. In 1948 C. Rajgopalachari, the first Indian Governor General, visited Dehradun, was invited for a hunting expedition to the shooting block of the erstwhile Dehradun Forest Division .
On seeing the pristine forest teeming with wildlife, the Governor General refused to hunt and instead suggested that the area must be set aside for the conservation of forest and wildlife. This eventually led to the formation of Rajaji Wildlife Sanctuary; named so in honour of C. Rajagopalachari fondly known as 'Rajaji'.
In 1983, the Rajajl Wildlife Sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a National Park with an area of 820.42 sq. km. with the amalgamation of Chilla and Motichur Wildlife Sanctuary along With some forest areas of West Dehradun. East Dehradun, Shivalik and Lansdowne Forest Divisions. The National Park was further upgraded 2015 in Tiger Reserve area of 1075.17 sq. km. The river Ganga divides the Tiger Reserve into two parts as it flows for about 25 km through the Park.
Rajaji National Park and Tiger Reserve
"This park is strategically located as it is proximate to Haridwar, Dehradun, Rishikesh and Mussorrie, having wide tourist interests. Around 830 sq .km of Himalayan foothill at east of Haridwar is part of this National Park, belonging to the same forest belt which the Corbett National Park. It is specially in the wildlife map for its elephant population."
State: Uttarakhand Distt: Haridwar,Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal. Area: 830 sq. Km Year of Notification: 1983 Altitude: 450-1 ,OOOm Longitude: 770 55'-780 19'E Latitude: 290 52-300 15'N Vegetation: Shrubs trees. Mixed & moist deciduous forests. Fauna (Animals): Asiatic Elephant, Kingfishers, Red Jungle Fowl, Ghoral, Tigers, Sambar Chital. Barking Deer, Nilgai, Leopard, Mongoose, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear. Flora (Plants): Amla (Phyllanthes emblica), Fig (Focus religiosa), Lantana Camera. Time to Visit: 15th November to 15th June. The entry timings are two times a day. Moming: 6 am to 9 am Evening: 3 pm to 6 pm Nearest Town: Haridwar (3km), Dehradun (31 km)