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About Bu$iness of Biodiversity 
 With only 2.4 per cent of the land area, India already accounts for 7-8 per cent of all the recorded species of the world. It provides habitat to more than 46,000 species of plants and 81,000 species of animals. These resources are of enormous economic value. On one hand they provide livelihood for millions of local people, and on the other, agriculture, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies across the world (including India, of course) make gigantic profits from products developed from germplasms. |
 My father had the same name, and so did my grandfather. People from every village around this forest always came to us when they fell sick. And my dada taught me how to pick the right plant, herb and flower that could cure them. Now I can chop, brew and cook up medicines for all ailments—from common cold to deadly snakebite. No, I don’t have a recipe book, its all in my mind. And I tell my son about them, just as my dad told me. He has learnt it all, but he does not want to be the next jadibutti baba. He just cant make enough money doing this, he says. |
 Iroam the jungles studying plants, trees and shrubs. There are so many varieties and types that my mind reels constantly. Imagine, six per cent of all flowering plants in the world can be found here. But I believe we have just scratched the surface. There are many many more just waiting to be discovered. I want to find as many as I can and make a biodiversity directory. So if anyone, anywhere else in the world lays claim on one species, I can say, hey, that’s ours! |
 I work with a multi-million dollar pharma industry. My eyes are now conditioned to see a potential product in every plant. Not just to make medicines, but shampoos, face creams, and a whole range of cosmetics. Fancy stuff made naturally from plant extracts and seeds and fruits. Our customers prefer these to chemical products, and we love the great profit margin they ensure. Thanks to India’s rich biodiversity, I am rich too! |
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