The Aane Mane Foundation
Presentation
In 2000, after a Masters Degree in anthropology and Art history at SOAS, London University, Prajna Chowta proposed the creation of the Aane Mane Foundation for the study and conservation of the Asian elephant.
"Aane" means "Elephant", and "Mane" means "Abode", in Kannada, which is the language of Karnataka (Pronounced "Anay Manay").
Aane Mane received the immediate support of various personalities willing to place their experience and influence in projects related to the conservation of elephants and their habitat, notably:
- Mr. M.P.Prakash, Former Minister and Deputy Chief Minister in the Government of Karnataka.
- Mr. S. Parameswarappa, IFS (Indian Forest Service) Officer and former PCCF (Principal Chief Conservator of Forest) of the Karnataka Forest department.
- Dr. Kaveriappa, Doctor in Botany, Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, and an expert botanist of the Western Ghats.
- D. K. Chowta, art collector, writer, Chairman of the Tapovana Trust for afforestation, Kerala, Chairman of the Gandhi Memorial Education Trust, and former General Secretary of the Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishath Art College, Bangalore.
Projects
- First project - Study of the migratory movements of wild elephants between Burma and India.
- Second project - Creation of a permanent base camp to conduct fieldwork.
- Third project - Training of young mahouts in the traditional practice of elephant keeping.
- The other projects