The people behind Shikra
The Sarai at Toria is the vision of a husband and wife partnership with a passion for wildlife and conservation.
Born in Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Raghu Chundawat is a conservation biologist whose main studies have been on snow leopards and tigers. His pioneering ten-year research on tigers took place in the Panna Tiger Reserve and has been immortalised in the BBC Natural World documentary, "Tigers of the Emerald Forest”.
Parikshit Ranawat
As far as my memory goes, I have always been surrounded with animals, be it pets or the wild ones.
I come from a family that has for generations loved outdoor life with great passion and enthusiasm. A great deal of my love for the wild comes specifically from my father.
We used to set out camping for indefinite days at diverse locations; From the jungles of my native place Mewar, to dry deserts to dense jungles. Carrying only essentials in the confined space of a jeep trolley, we realised that an abundance of happiness could be achieved with only the bare minimum.
That's where my love for the outdoors has stemmed from and it continues to grow deeper, to an extent that I can't seem to imagine a life without it
Ambalika Singh Rathore
One of the most prominent memories that I can recall from my childhood is that of skimming through shows and books related to wildlife.
Now when I look back to trace how I ended up with this immense interest in the wildlife, I realise it has always been something intrinsic to me, I don't believe
I acquired it. I was never scared of surrounding myself with animals or even handling critters like lizards and snakes.
Just being in the wild and observing the ecosystem with so much detail made me certain this was it, it was the life I wanted to be a part of. The jungle pace is slow yet fast. I have now seen tigers umpteen times yet a shiver runs down my spine everytime I spot one.
Mr. Shyamendra Singh, fondly known as Vini Raja, who is one of Panna’s earliest pioneers and stalwarts in wilderness hospitality. A mentor and inspiration to Ambalika & Parikshit, his vision has brought
Camp Jhinna to life.