
Ever since my grandfather told me about the majestic Tilor or Tuktar, the generic vernacular names for the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) found in the desert areas of south-eastern Punjab, it was my earnest desire to see the great bird. By the time I grew up, the GIB, to my dismay, had been restricted to just a few pockets in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
Today, only 250 birds are left in India and the adjoining Cholistan desert of Pakistan.