Prince Mehra earned the title of ‘Bird Man’ in Chandigarh for his dedicated efforts in treating injured birds over the course of 12 years. To date, he has treated around 1160 injured birds, while overseeing the cremation of 1290 deceased ones.
Chandigarh: In the year 2011, Prince Mehra, a resident of Chandigarh, travelled for Firozpur with his children. There he found two pigeons lying dead in a bin. He was distressed at the sight and buried them nearby to prevent any environmental and health hazards. Upon returning home after four days, he felt compelled to take action for the welfare and protection of birds.
Educating people
Prince Mehra launched his campaign by distributing pamphlets to people including school children, rickshaw pullers, and paan shop owners. The pamphlets aimed at spreading awareness about protecting birds and to contact a provided mobile number if they encounter injured or deceased birds.
'Bird Man'
Initially, he used his bicycle for the ambulance service. Now, an e-bike serves the same purpose. Over the course of 12 years, he has earned the title of ‘Bird Man’ in Chandigarh for his dedicated efforts in treating injured birds.
The inspiration
Prince Mehra was associated with an NGO which promoted the use of bicycles as it has no negative impact on the environment. At the time, there were several cycle clubs in more than 100 local schools. Prince was inspired by environmentalist and Chipko movement leader Sunder Lal Bahuguna to work for environmental protection. In the year 1990, he embarked on his journey as a dedicated environmentalist.
Working at a veterinary hospital
Prince Mehra works at a veterinary hospital in Chandigarh. After his 8-hour shift, he attends to reports of injured or deceased birds. If required, he even brings the birds to the hospital himself for treatment. Once rehabilitated, the birds are released back into the wild. To date, he has treated around 1160 injured birds, while overseeing the cremation of 1290 deceased ones.
Job as a teacher
Prince Mehra had a fourth-class job at a bank. However, he left the bank job as he wasn’t permitted to attend to bird injuries outside his workplace. Then until 2016, he worked as a drawing teacher and a painter to earn a living, before eventually devoting himself to bird welfare. Furthermore, Prince shares that he even performs traditional ceremonies once a year, where he organizes a havan ritual for the peace of deceased birds. This ceremony is attended by workers in the Animal Husbandry Department, as well as his relatives and acquaintances.
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