Avani Lekhara, Paralympic Medallist, Inspires Naming of Tiger Cub in Rajasthan

A tiger cub in Rajasthan has been named after Paralympic medallist Avani Lekhara. (Representational)

Jaipur:

A tiger cub in Rajasthan has been named after Paralympic medallist Avani Lekhara, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday.

अंतरराष्ट्रीय बाघ दिवस को और ऐतिहासिक बनाने के लिए रणथंभौर की बाघिन टी—111 के दो वर्ष के हो चुके तीन शावकों (दो बाघ एवं एक बाघिन) का नामकरण ‘चिंरजीवी’ ‘चिरायु’ एवं ‘अवनी’ किया गया है। 2010 में कॉमनवेल्थ गेम्स में स्वर्ण पदक विजेता श्रीमती कृष्णा पूनिया के नाम पर बाघिन टी-17 का… pic.twitter.com/HhPxb6mT0k

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) July 29, 2023

Two other cubs were named ‘Chiranjeevi’ and ‘Chirayu’, he said.

“To make International Tiger Day more historic, three cubs (two tigers and one tigress) of Ranthambore’s tigress T-111 have been named ‘Chiranjeevi’, ‘Chirayu’ and ‘Avani’,” Chief Minister Gehlot tweeted.

“Tigress T-17 was named Krishna after the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Krishna Poonia. Similarly, now the cub will be named Avani after Paralympic medalist @AvaniLekhara,” the Ashok Gehlot said.

Avani Lekhara, who belongs to Jaipur, won a gold medal in the 10-metre air rifle standing and a bronze medal in the 50-metre rifle 3 positions at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

International Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year to raise awareness about tiger conservation.

Mr Gehlot said when tigers in the country were on the verge of extinction, former prime minister Indira Gandhi launched ‘Project Tiger’ in April 1973, which led to an unprecedented increase in the number of tigers in the country.

“In the last one month, six cubs have been born in Ranthambore, Rajasthan. The Government of Rajasthan is working with commitment to preserve the forests and wildlife of the state,” he said.

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