NEW DELHI: Vantara, founded by Anant Ambani, marked World Elephant Day by highlighting its expanding efforts in elephant welfare, conservation education and international collaboration. The initiative, which began with the rescue of Gauri, the first elephant rescued by Anant Ambani, has evolved into a broader mission focused on improving elephant welfare, supporting caregivers, promoting knowledge exchange and contributing to conservation efforts in India and around the world.

Home to more than 260 Asian elephants, Vantara has emerged as a major centre for elephant welfare. Elephants occupy a special place in Vantara’s journey, reflecting its wider commitment to providing rescued animals with specialised care, dignity and a better quality of life.

“Elephants have always held a very special place in my heart and in Vantara’s journey. Every elephant we care for has a unique story, and every rescue reminds us of the responsibility we have towards their welfare. What began with the rescue of Gauri has grown into a wider commitment to improving elephant welfare, supporting the people who care for them, sharing knowledge and learning with partners, and contributing to elephant conservation in India and around the world,” said Anant Ambani, Founder, Vantara.

He added, “On World Elephant Day, we celebrate these magnificent animals and reaffirm our commitment to working together to secure a better future for them.”

Strengthening Elephant Welfare at Hathi Gaon, Jaipur

As part of World Elephant Day initiatives, Sanjay Sharma, Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Rajasthan, announced a collaboration with Vantara to strengthen the care and quality of life of elephants at Hathi Gaon in Jaipur.

The initiative will include a state-of-the-art Elephant Treatment & Care Facility, featuring an advanced hospital, nutrition centre and hydrotherapy facility. It will also include a dedicated Retirement & Care Centre for elderly elephants.

The collaboration will bring together the expertise of the Rajasthan Forest Department and Vantara to support elephants throughout their lives. The programme aims to better understand and address the individual needs of the animals while creating a more comfortable, compassionate and enriching environment for the elephants at Hathi Gaon.

National Elephant Welfare Outreach Programme

Vantara has also recently completed a large-scale Elephant Welfare Outreach Programme in partnership with State Forest Departments across eight locations in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The programme brought together elephant-care professionals and field teams to exchange knowledge and best practices aimed at improving elephant health and welfare. The initiative supported 182 elephants and engaged 242 mahouts.

The outreach included preventive veterinary care and practical sessions covering elephant health, humane handling, first aid and musth management. Veterinary and welfare kits, along with nutritional support, were also provided.

Through such partnerships, Vantara aims to strengthen collaboration among elephant-care professionals, encourage the adoption of best practices and build a wider network focused on improving elephant welfare.

‘My Friend Leelavati’ Campaign for Children

Vantara has also launched ‘My Friend Leelavati’, a social media campaign aimed at children that promotes empathy and compassion through the story of Leelavati.

Leelavati was separated from her mother as a calf and spent years in a circus. She later suffered extensive burn injuries when a circus tent caught fire. Today, she is among Vantara’s most cherished elephants.

Through Leelavati’s story, the campaign seeks to help children understand the importance of kindness, compassionate care and a life of dignity for every elephant.

As part of the initiative, children are invited to solve a themed puzzle and write a message for Leelavati. Winners will receive a Leelavati gift hamper and an opportunity to visit Vantara, meet Leelavati and her caregiver, and learn firsthand about elephant rescue and lifelong care.

Supporting Global Action on Human-Elephant Conflict

Vantara is also extending its elephant welfare efforts internationally by supporting global action on human-elephant conflict.

The organisation is providing a grant to the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) Foundation to support the participation of experts, practitioners and youth representatives from Asian and African elephant range states at the 1st Global Human-Elephant Conflict Summit and the 2nd International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in March 2027.

The grant will support delegates from all 13 Asian elephant range states, at least five African elephant range states working with the EPI Foundation, as well as youth representatives from both regions.

The initiative will also facilitate the expansion of the EPI Youth Ambassadors Programme into India for the first time, creating opportunities for young conservationists and practitioners to exchange experiences, learn from conservation approaches across Africa and Asia, and strengthen international cooperation on human-elephant conflict mitigation and coexistence.

Technology and Community Engagement for Elephant Conservation

At the ground level, Vantara continues to deploy rapid-response veterinary teams, thermal drone surveillance and community engagement programmes to address human-elephant conflict.

These efforts are aimed at providing timely veterinary assistance to injured elephants while also promoting sustainable coexistence between communities and elephants.

Together, Vantara’s initiatives reflect an expanding approach to elephant welfare—combining specialised veterinary care, caregiver support, conservation education, technology, community engagement and international knowledge-sharing to strengthen efforts to protect elephants in India and globally.