Keonjhar Launches ‘Namaskar Gajanan’ Video & Guidebook to Promote Man–Elephant Coexistence
Keonjhar, August 28, 2025 – In a move aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants, the Keonjhar Forest Division, Odisha, launched an awareness video titled “Namaskar Gajanan”, along with a user-friendly guidebook on man–elephant interaction.
The video was officially released by Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, the Minister for Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, during a ceremony in Keonjhar. This campaign follows Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s recent speeches encouraging public awareness during both the Divisional Forest Officers’ conference and the international conference on human–elephant coexistence in Bhubaneswar.
The creation of the video was a collaborative effort involving an eminent lyricist, a singer, a wildlife sociologist, and a professional cameraman—underscoring the multidisciplinary consensus on the need for community sensitization.
In parallel, a practical and AI-assisted guidebook has been prepared by wildlife biologists Sibasis and Shantibhushan, under the direction of DFO Dhanraj HD. Designed to be straightforward and accessible, the guide offers clear advice on what actions to take—or avoid—when encountering an elephant in the wild. As described by the DFO: “It is a simple guide on what to do and what not to do when we confront an elephant.”
Both tools—the video and guidebook—are part of a broader awareness strategy to mitigate human–elephant conflict in Keonjhar. The region is seeing increased forest diversion due to critical development projects, heightening the urgency for coexistence-focused outreach efforts