JAMNAGAR: Vantara, founded by Anant Ambani, on Wednesday marked World Elephant Day by highlighting initiatives in elephant welfare, conservation education and international collaboration, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening elephant protection in India and abroad.
Home to more than 260 Asian elephants, Vantara said elephants have remained central to its animal welfare mission. The journey began with the rescue of Gauri, the first elephant rescued by Anant Ambani, and subsequently expanded into a broader programme for rescued animals requiring specialised and lifelong care.
“Elephants have always held a very special place in my heart and in Vantara’s journey,” Anant Ambani, Founder, Vantara, said, adding that every rescue reinforces the responsibility towards animal welfare.
He said Vantara’s efforts now extend beyond rescue and care to supporting elephant caregivers, sharing knowledge with partners and contributing to elephant conservation initiatives in India and other countries.
New Elephant Care Facilities Planned at Hathi Gaon
On World Elephant Day, Sanjay Sharma, Rajasthan Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, announced a collaboration with Vantara to strengthen elephant welfare at Hathi Gaon, Jaipur.
The initiative envisages a state-of-the-art Elephant Treatment and Care Facility, comprising an advanced hospital, nutrition centre and hydrotherapy facility, besides a dedicated Retirement and Care Centre for elderly elephants.
Vantara said the partnership with the Rajasthan Forest Department would seek to provide individualised care to elephants through different stages of their lives.
Outreach Programme Covers 182 Elephants, 242 Mahouts
Vantara has also completed a large-scale Elephant Welfare Outreach Programme in partnership with State Forest Departments across eight locations in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The programme supported the health and welfare of 182 elephants and engaged 242 mahouts, focusing on knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices.
The initiative included preventive veterinary care and practical sessions on elephant health, humane handling, first aid and musth management. Veterinary and welfare kits, along with nutritional support, were also provided.
‘My Friend Leelavati’ Campaign for Children
As part of its conservation education efforts, Vantara has launched ‘My Friend Leelavati’, a social media campaign aimed at encouraging empathy and compassion among children.
The campaign tells the story of Leelavati, an elephant separated from her mother as a calf who later spent years in a circus and suffered extensive burn injuries in a circus tent fire.
Children participating in the campaign have been invited to solve a themed puzzle and write a message for Leelavati. Winners will receive a gift hamper and an opportunity to visit Vantara, meet Leelavati and her caregiver, and learn about elephant rescue and lifelong care.
Vantara Backs Global Human-Elephant Conflict Summit
Vantara is also providing a grant to the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation to support participation of experts, practitioners and youth representatives from Asian and African elephant range states at the 1st Global Human-Elephant Conflict Summit and the 2nd International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in March 2027.
The grant will support delegates from all 13 Asian elephant range states, at least five African elephant range states working with the EPI Foundation, and youth representatives from both regions.
It will also facilitate expansion of the EPI Youth Ambassadors Programme into India for the first time, providing a platform for young conservationists and practitioners to exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation on human-elephant coexistence.
Vantara said it continues to deploy rapid-response veterinary teams, thermal drone surveillance and community engagement programmes to respond to human-elephant conflict, assist injured elephants and promote long-term coexistence between people and elephants.
