The Himalayan Brown Bear Trust (HBBT), with support from Royal Enfield, successfully concluded a 10-day Nature Guide Training Programme on July 20 in Kargil, aiming to promote sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation in the region.

The valedictory event was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Imteeaz Kacho; LAHDC Councillors Abdul Wahid (Lower Drass) and Abdul Samad (Upper Drass); Assistant Director Tourism Kargil, Mohd Ali Tak; noted historian and author Ajaz Hussain Munshi; resource persons; office bearers of HBBT; trainees; and several nature and wildlife enthusiasts.

ADC Kacho lauded the dedication and quiet perseverance of Muzammil Hussain, founder of the Himalayan Brown Bear Trust, for his active work in promoting wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. He emphasized the urgent need to reduce human-wildlife conflict and foster shared spaces where both species can coexist. Highlighting Kargil’s rich but unexplored natural heritage, he underlined the growing demand for skilled nature guides in the region.

He also encouraged the trainees to build networks with creative professionals in fields such as photography, filmmaking, and journalism to further enrich their skills and outreach.

As part of the event, historian Ajaz Hussain Munshi was felicitated for his efforts in heritage conservation and historical documentation of Kargil. Praising his scholarly contributions, ADC Kacho noted that Munshi has authored and co-authored several significant works on the region’s history.

Assistant Director Tourism, Mohd Ali Tak, urged trainees to avail themselves of schemes and opportunities offered by the Tourism Department. He commended HBBT’s commitment to capacity building and conservation through such initiatives.

In his address, Muzammil Hussain elaborated on the trust’s work, especially its efforts in mitigating conflict between brown bears and humans. He shared that the training programme was designed to enhance youth capacity and expressed hope that participants would apply their learning in real-life contexts and potentially pursue careers as nature guides.

LAHDC Councillors Abdul Wahid and Abdul Samad thanked the organisers for hosting the training in Drass and acknowledged the trust’s pivotal role in brown bear conservation.

Trainers and participants shared their experiences during the programme, reflecting on the knowledge and insights gained. The event concluded with the distribution of certificates and nature guide kits by dignitaries as tokens of encouragement.