FLOURISHING BEYOND WOODS AND WORDS!

Many friends and colleagues frequently ask me what I will do after my retirement from the Indian Forest Service. There have also been questions about the fundamental priorities before superannuation. I have, almost always, evaded these questions. Here, I address these now.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that there are many people who can do many things equally proficiently. They can be farmers, teachers, managers, regulators, scientists, journalists, authors, drug developers, and many more. To be extraordinary, however, they must cover a little extra beyond those ordinary miles. Why and how such a feat materialises is complicated to communicate in words. You have to live and work with them to discern the novel insights of their journey. On the face of it, the struggle is neither surprising nor a secret. It takes a fire perpetually burning within. It takes every minute of a life well invested. It requires tossing away a We have recruited and will now have all the posts filled to work full throttle for the next decade. Two, field staff remained deprived of their promotions for 3-4 years for a variety of reasons. The process has been completed, except for one rank that is soon going to be accomplished. Three, through new externally aided projects, we will have a resource of 3600 to 4500 crore rupees to invest in the protection of forests, wildlife and biodiversity, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and improvement of livelihoods of the local communities. Four, good implementation is a knowledgequires tossing away a mindset of narrow emphasis on income or wealth. Indeed, human flourishing demands much more and provides more abundantly than our imagination. It takes great mental and physical health. It embodies a robust meaning and durable purpose, character and virtue, and resilient social relationships. It requires wisdom that in turn yields happiness, life satisfaction and well-being.

As with everyone else, I would continue to grow wisdom—a substantial determinant of human flourishing. This wisdom is expected to continue to keep me happy because wisdom is the mother of happiness. Wisdom is a holistic, multidimensional personality trait associated with greater well-being, satisfaction with life, and overall better health and happiness. I have discovered and followed several mechanisms to become wiser. First, pro-social behaviors, empathy, compassion, altruism, and a sense of fairness to all. Second, emotional regulation, self-control and being oneself even when provoked. Third, self-reflection, personal insights, and learning. Fourth, acceptance of divergent perspectives and tolerance of different view-point. Fifth is decisiveness or the ability to make timely and effective decisions even under uncertainty. Sixth, a general knowledge of life and social decision-making, and finally, a mindset that embraces spirituality in daily life. I have also believed very strongly, and continue to act accordingly, that nothing is unachievable for those who have scholarship, thoughtfulness, wisdom, attentiveness, diligence and action. I continue to be deeply aware of the fact that really wise people rarely get drunk with wisdom! Pseudo-wise is another lot. In a nutshell, this mindset weighs a few smiles much more than millions of dollars in the pocket. This has made me what I am. This has given me what I have.

I am someone who was born in a remote village nestled amidst rivers and hills. Obviously, it required learning survival strategies to face the vagaries and beauty of the inhospitable landscape. One must be a farmer, a labourer, or an ordinary human being willing to acquire traditional skills for survival. No wonder then, given the necessity, I can do farming in my farmlands. I can construct a village pond and grow water chestnuts for livelihoods. I can also help you cross a rapidly flowing river in the boat that I built. I can also raise a mango orchard for the benefit of generations of humans, birds, insects and other life forms. I could construct a mud house and practice animal husbandry with equal ease. I can do a lot more, not because I am willing to learn everything afresh but because I have already done all these to survive in my village before I left for wilder grounds. All along, I have never forgotten that knowledge is great but doing is greater still.

In another parallel, soon after my retirement in May 2023, I can teach to facilitate learning of Ayurveda that I learnt before the age of 18. I can also take on teaching Yajurveda chanting to a brand-new generation of youth. Teaching forestry, environmental governance and sustainability science at some of the best-known institutions worldwide is always available to me. Again, all this will be possible not because I am willing to learn afresh, but because I have already done that by taking numerous detours from the Indian forest service.

I have been a professor earlier, and even today I continue to be a visiting professor at the National Institute of Ayurveda. I would be happy to take on a few more such assignments from among many that I am invited to. It is this group of activities where one can raise the skills of someone else to bring a smile and to make them more worthwhile to society.

No gift is greater than the gift of knowledge! I would always love to work as a scientist once again in the world’s best institutions working on forest and livelihoods, forest governance, and environmental regulations. Doing work on the ground as well as producing new knowledge based on experience and science continues to be my passion. I can also work as a journalist in a cutting-edge media house—print, electronic, and social included. Journalism has been my first job way back in 1975 or so!

As a forester, I can help protect, manage, restore and rewild forests and protected areas. It is possible because this beautiful process of learning and contribution has been a major part of my life. Apart from improving the health of the ecosystems, I can also facilitate the improvement of the health of people by designing drugs and providing preventive strategies that can save humanity from some of the worst ailments. Again, I will not need to learn the whole process all over again. I have already done that parallel to numerous other activities that I noted here.

I would be happy to improve the environmental governance, environmental compliance, and regulatory environment within any corporate house such that they are able to adhere to all the mandatory regulations required to have complied, plus numerous proactive steps that can provide an edge to the business over competitors.

Let us now move on to priorities. After a satisfying career in various positions in the Indian Forest Service, the five priorities, apart from routine works, set soon after taking on as the Principle Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) are now getting accomplished.

One, with a large number of posts vacant, Forest Department was working with almost half the number of officials in the field. We have recruited and will now have all the posts filled to work full throttle for the next decade. Two, field staff remained deprived of their promotions for 3-4 years for a variety of reasons. The process has been completed, except for one rank that is soon going to be accomplished. Three, through new externally aided projects, we will have a resource of 3600 to 4500 crore rupees to invest in the protection of forests, wildlife and biodiversity, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and improvement of livelihoods of the local communities. Four, good implementation is a knowledgeintensive journey that requires a robust evidence base. We have generated and provided cutting-edge scientific and experiential knowledge for restoration and rewilding.

Implemented is now on throughout the State. At least 10 new conservation reserves, another leopard reserve, and one new tiger reserve have become a reality. Another Tiger Reserve may soon become a reality. Thus, Forest Department will have forest force, resources and knowledge to work over the next 10 years that coincide with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). The fifth priority remains to be realized, but there are six months to concentrate on. Hopefully, with the support of the Government of Rajasthan, and facilitation by colleagues in the Government and Forest Department, we should be able to resolve several long-pending legitimate demands of staff and officials in the field. This is what I love to call flourishing beyond woods and words. We shall meet again!

DR DEEP NARAYAN PANDEY Principal Chief Conservator WOODS AND WORDS! of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Aranya Bhawan