About Us

RAZA & THE INDIGENOUS TREATMENT

Raza H. Tehsin, a household name in this region, is the one of the initiators of Wildlife conservation movement in Southern Rajasthan. Son of the renowned shikari T. H. Tehsin, one of the earliest big game hunters turned conservationist of India, Raza grew up seeing jungles and animals around him. His father’s monopoly of arms and ammunition business in Mewar and his passion for hunting kept Raza in the forests for long periods of time since he was a child. This not only brought him close to Nature but also increased his knowledge of indigenous herbs and medicines.

His mother Khurshid Banu Tehsin was the one who started giving an indigenous treatment for Leucoderma/Vitiligo almost 60 years back. She passed on the treatment that consisted of one medicine to Raza, who continued to refine his knowledge of herbs and added three more medicines to the treatment. For the past 40 years, Raza has been giving the treatment to people affected by this cosmetic skin disorder.

FIRST REPORTINGS, PIONEERING RESEARCHES AND CAMPAIGNS

He has been instrumental in the establishment of game sanctuaries like Phulwari-Ki-Nal, Sitamata & Sajjangarh and has reported for the first time around 14 species from this region, as well as India like Flying Squirrel, Mouse Deer, Snow Trout Fish, Albino Common Mongoose, Rusty Spotted Cat, Albino Squirrel, Lesser Flamingos, Baikal Teal, Three-Toed Kingfisher, White Bellied Miniwit, White Eared Bulbul, Green Heron, Flat Worm and Bittern Bird.

He has pioneered many works and campaigns like protection of a 400-year-old Kalp Vriksh (Adinsonia digitata) during the extension of Government hospital building. He is one of the early naturalists of India to study the effects of Solar Eclipse on fauna. He drew public attention to the free export of frogs, which prevent malaria. It resulted in its ban by the Govt. of Rajasthan & curb of its export by the Govt. of India. He demanded a ban on the slaughter of Jackals highlighting their role as scavengers, which resulted in the up-gradation of this animal to Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. He observed Lunar Tides in Bhim Kund (a fresh water pool) in Banswara District.

In a landmark achievement he convinced the tribals around Udaipur to leave the practice of Mass Hunting – ‘Aida’. He has also been one of the first to raise his voice about the declining vulture population.Australian Geographic funded a project to study his reporting of the Himalayan fish Snow Trout from Rajasthan. It is the first live biological evidence that the mythological Saraswati River once flowed through the desert of Rajasthan before the geographical isolation.

He has provided research guidance and project assistance to students not only from India but from other countries as well.


PUBLICATIONS

Raza Tehsin is synonymous with wildlife conservation in Rajasthan. He has authored more than 60 research notes and papers in International and National journals like Tiger Paper (issued by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation), Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, Cheetal, Zoo’s Print Journal, Newsletter for Birdwatcher, Indian Forester, Hornbill.

Raza’s articles have appeared in Books like Environmental Studies book of NCERT (Central Board syllabus for schools in India), Man Now Competes With Scavengers and Shikari Shikar Jungle Se Pyar (Hindi) and Magazines like Dharamyug and Mystic India.

BOOKS

  • Do Tigers Drink Blood & 13 Other Mysteries of Nature by Raza H. Tehsin and Arefa Tehsin.
    A non-fiction book for older children on the mysteries of nature
  • Land of the Setting Sun & Other Nature Tales by Raza H. Tehsin and Arefa Tehsin
    A collection of stories on Wildlife/ Nature
  • Tales from the Wild by Raza H. Tehsin and Arefa Tehsin
    A collection of stories on Wildlife/ Nature
  • Steed of Jungle God - Narrated by Raza H. Tehsin, Recorded by Arefa Tehsin (Upcoming)

PRINT MEDIA AND TELEVISION

Hundreds of news articles, news items, features and his interviews have appeared in national and regional newspapers like The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, Hindustan, Indian Express, The Statesman, Pioneer, The Patriot, Dainik Navjyoti, Rajasthan Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar, Nai Duniya, Jansatta, Northern India Patrika, Pratah Kaal, Jai Rajasthan, Rashtradoot, Angad, Daily Bombay, Deccan Chronicle, Udaipur Express and Pratidin.

He keeps appearing on talk shows on TV and radio channels and has been covered by TV channels like National Geographic, India TV, Star News, ETV and Channel 24.

SURVEYS AND RECORDS

Raza has done faunal surveys of areas like Sitamata Sanctuary, Chanderiya (1990), Rampura Agoocha Mines (1988), Jawar Mines (1987), Matoon Mines (1987) and Rajpura Dariba Mines (1987).

A pioneering survey to ascertain the Most Beautiful Tree of India was led by him. He is also the compiler of the checklist of birds of Southern Rajasthan.

Limca Book of Records (1996) carries his name for a survey conducted by him to ascertain the quantity of spit being spat by tobacco chewers in India every year. Environment and natural studies scholars, as well as nature enthusiasts from different fields and professions come to him for guidance not only from India, but from all over the world.

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Raza is a Member of Tiger Conservation Foundation, Government of Rajasthan
  • Member of Zoo Advisory Committee, Udaipur
  • Life Member of Bombay Natural History Society – Mumbai
  • WWF – India
  • Wildlife Preservation Society of India, Dehra Dun
  • Former Member - The Advisory Board of Wildlife, Government of Rajasthan

AWARDS

  • Honorary Ph. D. by Jyotish Mahavidyalaya, Roorkee
  • Honorary Wildlife Warden, Udaipur District, Dept. of Forest, Govt. of Rajasthan
  • Honorary Membership, Wildlife Conservation Society of India, Ajmer
  • Executive Member, Udaipur Chapter of WWF, Udaipur (Rtd.)

This proprietary indigenous herbal treatment has been in the family for more than 80 years. Raza's daughter Arefa Tehsin has been helping him with the treatment for the last 15 years.

AREFA TEHSIN

Arefa is the author of 16 fiction and non-fiction books, both for children and adults, and contributes columns, features and travel articles to various publications like The Indian Express, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Outlook Money and TerraGreen.

She spent her childhood days treading jungles with her naturalist father, exploring caves and handling snakes. She was appointed as the Honorary Wildlife Warden of Udaipur district by the Govt. of Raj. and has pursued nature conservation through her writings and columns.

  • Her book The Chirmi Chasers (Published by Duckbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House) has been shortlisted for Neev Book Award 2021.
  • Amra and the Witch shortlisted for FCCI's Best Book of the Year Award 2019.
  • Shortlisted for the The Hindu Young World-Goodbooks Best Author Award 2017 for Wild in the Backyard.
  • The picture book The Elephant Bird was read at 3200+ locations in India from the slums to the Presidential library on the International Literacy Day, 2016 and translated in 30 languages.
  • Do Tigers Drink Blood and 13 Other Mysteries of Natureis is being translated in Chinese.
  • A few schools in India and Sri Lanka have taken up her books as textbooks and supplementary readers.

To find more about her works, visit www.arefatehsin.com