Dr. Ashok Kothari

He came to Mumbai as a young doctor over 40 years ago and was immediately appalled by the lack of greenery and the way trees were being cut for development. This first impression of a city shaped his approach to life in it, and preserving trees and spreading green cover became a passion for Dr. Ashok Kothari, now more widely known as ‘Dr. Green’.
For more than four decades, Dr. Kothari has been an avid campaigner for preservation of Nature and trees, and has served on numerous organizations committed to these causes. He has been on the committees of the National Society of Friends of the Trees (FST) and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), having recently been elected as the Honorary Secretary of the latter.
Numerous articles have been written about him in different newspapers, and he has been recognized by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club for his work, as well as nominated for the Priyadarshini Award.
His commitment to this cause prompted S.P. Godrej to write, “Sometimes, however, I come across something that gives me a glimmer of hope. Like Dr. Green……. How I wish there were more Dr. Greens, Mumbai would be a different place to live in.”
Palanpur Online recently met Dr. Kothari in his office at the BNHS to learn more about the influences that shaped his ideas and the work that has made him a widely respected name in many circles of society. 

Protesting against tree felling at Santacruz
in 1980. Dr Kothari is on left. 

PO: How did you develop this interest in trees and Nature?
AK: My father was Sir-nyayadhis or principal judge in Tharad state and was Karbhari for some time. He retired and moved to Deesa where I was born. Deesa was established as a British Military Cantonment and they had planted thousands of trees.
I studied in Sir Charles Watson High School where I always stood first in my class and later first in Deesa in SSC (2nd in Banskantha) in 1959. I was also High Jump champion in Banaskantha District in 1957. Afterwards I had College education at Elphinstone College, Mumbai.
At that time, many of my contemporaries were entering the diamond market, but I opted to do my medical education from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. So for most of the first two decades of my life, I was surrounded by greenery.

PO: But the passive interest soon changed to an active promotion of trees….
AK: After completing internship and houseposts at Sion and KEM Hospitals, I started medical practice at Santacruz and Juhu on 26 Jan., 1970, where I have continued my practice for the last 40 years. I was appalled at the lack of greenery and the way trees were being cut to develop the city.
I quickly realized this was having unintended consequences, as an increasing number of my patients had bronchial and respiratory illnesses. This was clearly related to the lack of tree cover, dust and pollution and so along with the medicines that I prescribed, I started giving each patient a sapling as well. I urged them to plant it near their houses, to nurture it and make it grow, explaining that this was an important part of the treatment.
I gradually broadened my activity and began gifting saplings to people on different occasions. Once, instead of the customary bouquet, I presented the Principal of my daughter’s school, Bai Avabai School, Bandra with a sapling. She was surprised, but planted it in the school campus, and today, over 20 years later, the tree still blooms.
I also remember urging people to donate coconut saplings to a relatively underprivileged housing society in Juhu nearly twenty years ago, and these have now blossomed into huge trees.

BNHS Exhibition inaugurated by Late Nawabsaheb.
Dr Kothari is on left.

PO: From gifting trees you soon moved on to protecting them….
AK:  Yes, in the late 70s and early 80s, I found that I could not remain a silent spectator to the cutting of trees for road widening and other construction activity. In 1979, I began to rally people when trees were being cut on S.V. Road and in 1980 I led a public protest when a rare tree, the sacred Berna was cut down outside Lion’s Park in Santacruz.
During this period I got associated with organizations that were taking up similar causes. I have been a member of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) for nearly 30 years, and a member of the BNHS EC since the last 25 years and the All India Jt Sec of the Friends of Trees for the last 25 years.
I was elected as Hon. Secretary of the 125 year-old Bombay Natural History Society for the second consecutive term.
In my campaigns I have filed cases and initiated prosecution against over 100 people for cutting trees.

PO: Tell us about your work in spreading awareness about these issues.
AK:  This happens at multiple levels. For the last 25 years I have been distributing saplings and trees on behalf of Rotary Club of Bombay Seacoast and Friends of the Trees every monsoon. These are mostly from Godrej Tree Bank and also from other parts. On three occasions we brought Neem trees from Gujarat. 
I have also published a lot of material on the subject. I was asked to write a book on Indian trees, A Celebration of Indian Trees, when National Society of the Friends of the Trees completed 50 years. The book contains over 400 photographs, mostly my own. It has detailed information on Indian trees, including their names in different Indian languages. While compiling the material for this book I have traveled across the country. The well illustrated book has become very popular.
I have also co-edited three books, Salim Ali`s India, Treasures of Indian Wildlife and Living Jewels from the Indian Jungle and am now working on Wildlife of the Himalayas. I have also written nearly 500 articles in Mumbai Samachar, Abhiyan and Rakhewal.
For many years I have been the President of the Library Committee of the BNHS and organized seven exhibitions of some very rare books that we have in our collection. Some of them are valued at crores of rupees.
As president of Rotary Club of Bombay - Sea Coast, I organised Palanpur Express tour and stayed at Balaram Palace and visited, Palanpur, Deesa, Patan, Modhera, Taranga, Mt. Abu, Chandravati, Ambaji. We also organised joint projects with Rotary clubs of Palanpur and Deesa.
I have scaled most of the peaks in Sahayadri range -- Kalsubai (thrice), Mahuli, Harishchandra Gadh, Saras Gadh, Manek Gadh, Kanchad, Mahalaxmi, Karnala etc and have gone on some difficult Himalayan treks. I was leader of BNHS camps of Dangs, Rajpipla forests and wild life sanctuaries of Saurashtra and Little Rann of Kutch.
We even do awareness activities in the city – I was one of those who helped developed a Nature Trek at the 33 acre BNHS campus near Film City in the Western suburb, have also conducted Tree Walks in different parts of Mumbai where we have introduced enthusiasts to the rare and heritage trees in the locality.

PO: What do you feel about conservation in Palanpur?
AK: We urgently need to preserve the green spaces and the heritage of Palanpur. There have been some commendable steps taken by different organizations. Shashivan (formerly Jahanara Baug) is a very good development. Similarly we need to preserve the old trees and other cultural heritage. At present only one of the old seven gates (darwazas) is remaining and only one of the ancient step wells, Mithi Wav has survived. This is a very important historical site and has been written about by Parsi historian, Prof Commissariat, who was a friend of Nawabsaheb Taley Mohammed Khan.

PO: Tell us a bit about your family and your other activities and interests.
AK: I am youngest of 10 siblings, 6 brothers and 4 sisters. Two among them became leading lawyers of Banaskantha, two became doctors, one farmer and only one opted for diamonds. One sister Induben taught in colleges in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat, while Shashiben taught at Children`s Academy, Gamdevi. Lataben wrote three books. Leelaben was leader in the Palanpur municipality. My wife Hansaben is from Nairobi where her father had a departmental store. We have three daughters, Rajal, Sheetal and Mamta.
I have been Secretary and then President of the Santacruz Medical Association at different times, and am always ready to help others. Once, in 1976, I was driving past the airport at the very moment that there was a massive plane crash. I later learned that it was an Indian Airlines Caravelle flying to Chennai. The aircraft was burning. Instinctively I turned around, rushed to the site and got involved in rescue operations, pulling out charred and dead bodies from the wreckage.
My other hobbies are collecting antiques, rare books travelling, photography etc. I have a collection of over 2000 rare books at my residence which were acquired during trips to various parts of the country. Now if a rare book is available for sale, dealers contact me directly. There are also a number of rare photographs and other objects related to Palanpur.

PO: What campaigns are you currently involved in?
AK: We have just launched a campaign for the preservation of old trees. Some that are over 100 years old are as much a part of our heritage as the old buildings and landmarks that we have designated as heritage structures. There is one tree near Hornbill House (BNHS office) which was planted by David Livingstone, the British explorer on his arrival in India.
Remember that trees have played a very important role in the life of our city. Names of many prominent localities are derived from trees – Bhendi Bazaar, Worli (Baniyan tree or Wad), Byculla (from Laburnum or Bahava (Bahava khala became Bhyculla), Chichpokli (tamarind or chinch tree) to name a few.
We are also organising the 8th exhibition of rare books at BNHS. It will be inaugurated Rotary International President Elect (2011-2012) Kalyan Banerjee on December 10th and will be open for viewing from December 11th – 17th everyday from 11 am till 5 pm, except on the last day when it will close at 4 pm.

PO: What is your message to the community?
AK: Preserve your heritage. Try to save Meeragate of Palanpur and Havapillar of Deesa. Save old books, photographs, old utensils and woodwork from your old houses in Palanpur. Also help in establishing a museum at Palanpur. 

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