In picture perfect wilderness, Wasnik finds new passion

On Friday Mukul Wasnik, 69, Rajya Sabha MP and AICC General secretary opened a solo show of 75 of his wildlife photographs at the Jehangir art gallery. Over the last six years Wasnik made several trips from Tadoba to Tanzania to shoot the big cats but also a profusion of birds

Mumbai: Politicians of a certain vintage have been known to deal with the slump of the middle years and political wilderness through creative hobbies. There are those who write books with impressive industry while others write haiku, or paint or act. Some, shoot wildlife.

Mumbai, India - October 28, 2022: (L to R) Kenyan High Commissioner Willy Bett, Mukul Wasnik and Yash Birla along with other dignitaries, during the inauguration of a photography exhibition on wildlife, at Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, October 28, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

On Friday Mukul Wasnik, 69, Rajya Sabha MP and AICC General secretary opened a solo show of 75 of his wildlife photographs at the Jehangir art gallery. Over the last six years Wasnik made several trips from Tadoba to Tanzania to shoot the big cats but also a profusion of birds. Baramati MP Supriya Sule was particularly taken up by one such picture of birds at Bhigwan which is part of her constituency. Another picture she laid claim to was that of three cubs at Tadoba.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Willy K Bett, Kenyan High Commissioner to India, while Wasnik’s party colleague and wildlife enthusiast Suresh Shetty helped in organizing the exhibition.

“My passion for photography began six years ago during a trip to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Since then I have travelled to Tal Chhapar in Churu, to Tanzania, Kabini, the Rann of Kutch, Bharatpur, Corbett, Kaziranga and Ranthambore to shoot wildlife,’’ said Wasnik.

Among his personal favourites is a photograph of flamingos in Delhi. Speaking with the enthusiasm of an amateur and the panache of a professional, Wasnik spoke about shooting with his Nikon D 500 and D 85. “I don’t want to buy any new cameras till the time I have run through these. Only then will I move to mirrorless cameras.” He said he often extends his trip to the wildlife reserves in search of that perfect picture.

A lifelong politician, Wasnik however did not want to discuss either politics or politicians on Friday, choosing instead to talk about the pallid harrier, the booted eagle, the Laggar falcon, Eurasian Griffon vultures, the crested serpent eagle, the kori bustard, the Himalayan monal and other assorted species of animals whose photographs were on display.

“While sorting through the pictures, I suddenly decided that the focus has to largely be on birds.” He credits Rathika Ramaswamy, a leading wildlife photographer from Chennai, with teaching him how to shoot birds. “My interest in photographing birds also gained after I met Suraj Singh Poonia at the Tal Chhapar sanctuary in Churu, Rajasthan,’’ he said.

The exhibition is on until Monday, and a very special invitation has been extended to Uddhav Thackeray who knows a few things about shooting wildlife.