This Young Environmentalist From Lucknow Is Rescuing Thousands Of Snakes And Saving Human Lives

Aditya Tiwari is changing this. This 29-year-old has dedicated his life to rescuing snakes and other urban wildlife and spreading awareness about how these peace-loving creatures mean no harm to anyone unless they feel attacked. For over a decade now, he has been working tirelessly toward this cause. He has defied the most-feared question in Indian society - ‘Log kya kahenge?’ (What will people say?) and founded an organisation in Lucknow called Paryavarnam Society in 2012. 

“Our team works day and night to ensure these animals are rescued at the correct time and returned back to their natural habitat. Over the years, we have rescued more than 6000 snakes from across Uttar Pradesh. Along with that, we have also rescued foxes, jackals, monitor lizards,” - Aditya explains.

This Maha Shivratri, He Is On A Mission To Bust Myths And Fight Superstitions Around Snakes 

Reports claim that over 64,000 people in India die due to snake bites, every year - experts insist that the number is much higher. Uttar Pradesh, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan report the highest number of deaths. Aditya says that a lot of it has to do with the lack of awareness and the amount of myths and superstitions associated with snake bites. 

“Even to this day, so many people, especially in the rural areas, rush to quacks or resort to unscientific methods in their attempt to treat a snakebite. As a result, they lose vital time and then succumb to the bite. While India has over 300 species of snakes, only 60 of them are venomous. But, most of the deaths are caused by the bites of the Big Four - the spectacled cobra, common krait, saw-scaled viper, and Russell’s viper.”  

Aditya rightly points out that there is also not much research regarding snake bites and there are still a lot of things to which answers are not known. This makes the work of organisations like Paryavarnam even more important. Through street plays and other simple techniques, they educate the masses about the various kinds of snakes and how to reduce the human-snake conflict. 

Aditya was still a young boy when his father, a devout Shiv Bhakt, instilled in him a profound knowledge of snakes, inspiring him to dedicate his life to their conservation. Young Aditya found snakes to be fascinating and wanted to learn more about them. When everyone was busy making new friends on Orkut, this teenager, used the social media platform to connect to more snake-lovers. One of his first rescues was when he was only in standard 9th - the snake escaped but the experience taught him a lot. 

“One has to remain cool and fearless and have nerves of steel. That’s the only way to tackle these creatures. Once you understand them and respect them, the job becomes easier.” 

His sister, Prachi, is the youngest member of the team and the youngest woman snake rescuer in Lucknow. She was 18 years old when she rescued her first non-venomous snake. But this shouldn’t let you think that Aditya’s family was convinced by his passion when he told them about his rescue work. It took him 5 years and many more awards and accolades to show his family and the rest of the world that what he and his team are doing is a job of kindness and humanity.  

These heroic animal rescuers need your support to continue their efforts  

Aditya shares stories about how they have rescued snakes and other animals in terrible conditions. While the snakes have been impaled by spears and heavy rocks have been used to smash them to death, Paryavarnam’s team has also rescued severely hurt foxes with infected paws and eye injuries. 

“We work closely with the Forest Department and the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden in Lucknow to help these animals in need. We want to do so much more. We have to take proper precautions while rescuing these animals, especially snakes. For that, we need equipment like gloves, tongs, snake catchers, bags, head torches, high boots, etc. We also need an ambulance that will allow us to rescue bigger animals like boars and give them a pain-free life. Your support will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of these innocent animals.”

Maha Shivratri, a Hindu festival celebrating Lord Diety, often sees the worship of snakes as symbols of divinity and protection. Paryavarnam needs your support to rescue snakes during Maha Shivratri, offering them sanctuary and care. By promoting compassion and understanding towards these creatures, they aim to foster harmony between humans and snakes.

Join hands with the Paryavarnam Society and a safer, more harmonious coexistence with these fascinating creatures. 

About the NGO: Founded by Aditya Tiwari in 2012, Paryavarnam Society is a Lucknow-based NGO that works day and night to ensure these animals are rescued at the correct time and returned back to their natural habitat. Over the years, they have rescued more than 6000 snakes from across Uttar Pradesh. Along with that, they have also rescued foxes, jackals, and monitor lizards. A passionate animal lover and environmentalist, Aditya and his team have been fighting for these creatures - big and small - for more than a decade now.