A Life Shaped by the Forests of Bandhavgarh
For Teerth Singh, the jungle has never simply been a destination. It has been his home, his classroom, his teacher and the foundation of his life.
Born and raised around Bandhavgarh in a tribal family, Teerth grew up close to the forest and its wildlife. Long before he became a professional wildlife guide and tour operator, he learned about the jungle through everyday life—by observing nature, listening to the people around him and spending countless hours in the forest.
His journey from a young boy growing up near Bandhavgarh to becoming an experienced wildlife guide and safari tour operator is a story of perseverance, learning and a lifelong connection with India’s forests.
Growing Up Close to the Jungle
Teerth’s earliest lessons came not from a classroom but from his father, relatives, neighbours and the forest itself.
Living close to Bandhavgarh allowed him to develop an understanding of nature from an early age. He learned about birds, animals, changing seasons, forest landscapes and the subtle signs that reveal what is happening around you.
However, life was not always easy.
After losing his father at a young age, Teerth had to leave school and begin working to support his family. Having studied in a Hindi-medium school, he had limited knowledge of English at the time.
He could not have imagined then that his life would eventually involve meeting travellers from different parts of the world and helping them discover the wildlife of Central India.
The forest, however, had already begun teaching him lessons that would shape his future.
The Jungle Became His Classroom
At a young age, Teerth began working in the forest as a patrolling man. This experience became an important turning point in his life.
He spent long hours walking through the forests of Bandhavgarh, exploring trails, roads, waterholes, ponds, grasslands, caves and remote areas. He observed everything around him—from birds and reptiles to smaller creatures, nocturnal animals and large mammals.
Over time, he developed an ability to recognise the subtle signs of the forest.
Animal tracks, calls, alarm calls, movements and changes in the surroundings became part of his everyday learning. He began understanding that the forest often communicates through signs that are easy to miss unless you know how to observe them.
For Teerth, this knowledge did not come from textbooks.
It came from walking through the jungle, watching carefully, asking questions and learning season after season.
The forest became his classroom.
His First Tiger Encounter
Among the many memories from his early years in the forest, his first sighting of a tiger remains one of the most memorable.
For Teerth, seeing a tiger was more than simply encountering one of India’s most iconic wild animals. It became another defining moment in his growing relationship with the forest and wildlife.
That first encounter stayed with him and became part of the journey that eventually led him towards a career in wildlife tourism.
From Forest Patrolling to Wildlife Guide
After years of exploring Bandhavgarh and learning about its wildlife, Teerth began working as a forest guide.
With every safari and every season, his knowledge and experience continued to grow.
His journey later took him to one of Bandhavgarh’s resorts, where he worked for more than eight years as a driver and Naturalist.
Those years gave him an opportunity to develop skills beyond wildlife tracking and forest knowledge. He learned about hospitality, guest expectations and the importance of creating a meaningful and comfortable wildlife experience.
It was also during this period that Teerth began improving his English.
Coming from a Hindi-medium educational background, communicating with international travellers was initially a challenge. Rather than allowing the language barrier to hold him back, he learned directly from the guests he worked with.
He listened, communicated, made mistakes, asked questions and continued learning.
Every interaction became another lesson.
People Who Helped Shape His Journey
Teerth’s journey has also been influenced by people who believed in him and encouraged him along the way.
One of the people he remembers with particular gratitude is Mr. John Field, who played an important role in helping Teerth improve his English and communication skills. More importantly, John encouraged him to believe in his own abilities.
Teerth also remembers Mrs. Pauline and Mr. Chris Wallace, whose kindness and support became an important part of his journey.
When Teerth eventually decided to start his own safari and tour service, Chris helped him understand how to work with international travellers, organise tours and manage the different elements involved in creating a wildlife journey.
Their encouragement gave Teerth the confidence to take the next step.
Starting His Own Safari Journey
Starting his own safari and tour service in Bandhavgarh was not an easy decision.
Teerth did not come from a traditional business background. His expertise had been built through years of experience in the forest, working with guests, driving, guiding and learning about wildlife tourism from the ground up.
He gradually learned how to manage safari arrangements, accommodation, transportation, guest requirements and the many details involved in organising a wildlife holiday.
But his vision extended beyond running a tourism business.
Teerth believed that the growth of wildlife tourism should also create opportunities for people living around the forests.
He wanted local people to benefit from tourism and helped colleagues work towards forming a taxi union so that local drivers could have access to regular work and more stable livelihoods.
For him, wildlife tourism has always been about more than bringing visitors into the forest.
It is also about creating opportunities for the communities that call these forest landscapes home.
Exploring the Forests of Central India
Although Bandhavgarh remains Teerth’s home and the place where his journey began, his work has gradually taken him across Central India’s major wildlife destinations.
Since 2009, he has worked across forests including Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Panna, Tadoba and Satpura.
Each forest has its own landscape, wildlife, challenges and character.
Working across these different ecosystems has allowed Teerth to develop a broader understanding of Central India’s wildlife and the communities connected with wildlife tourism.
Among these forests, Satpura has developed a particularly special place in his heart and feels almost like another home.
Years of travelling through these landscapes, working alongside local guides and Naturalists and helping travellers experience wildlife have continued to expand his knowledge.
Working with Discovery Channel
Another memorable chapter of Teerth’s career came when he worked with Discovery Channel on the documentary Humans in the Wild.
His role involved helping with local arrangements for the production, including accommodation, transportation, safari arrangements and coordination with local people.
For Teerth, the experience was particularly meaningful.
He was helping an international production team work in the same forests and environment that he had known since childhood.
It was a reminder of how far his journey had taken him—from a young boy learning about the forest to working with an international documentary production.
Wildlife Tourism and Local Communities
Teerth’s personal journey is closely connected with a much larger story unfolding across India’s tiger landscapes.
Wildlife tourism has created opportunities for many people living around forests. Local residents now work as forest guides, drivers, Naturalists, safari staff, lodge employees, service providers and tour operators.
For many families, these opportunities have created new ways to earn a livelihood while remaining connected to their local environment.
A young person can build a career as a Naturalist.
A local driver can support a family through safari tourism.
A forest guide can turn years of knowledge about the jungle into a profession.
Local businesses can grow as travellers visit these wildlife destinations.
Teerth believes responsible tourism can therefore contribute to both wildlife conservation and local livelihoods.
When communities benefit from responsible wildlife tourism, they can become an important part of protecting the landscapes around them.
For Teerth, the future of wildlife and the future of local communities are closely connected.
A Journey That Continues
When Teerth looks back at his journey, he sees many different chapters.
A young boy from a humble family.
A child who had to leave school after losing his father.
A Hindi-medium student with limited English.
A young man working in the forest as a patrolling man.
A forest guide.
A driver.
A Naturalist.
A learner who improved his English by communicating with international guests.
A professional who received encouragement from people who believed in him.
And eventually, an entrepreneur who built his own safari and wildlife tourism journey.
Today, Teerth continues to work with forests, wildlife, local communities and travellers from around the world.
His journey began in Bandhavgarh, but his experience has taken him across some of Central India’s most celebrated wildlife landscapes.
Yet despite everything that has changed, one thing has remained constant—the forest.
The Forest Is Still His Teacher
For Teerth Singh, the jungle was his first classroom.
The people around him were his first teachers.
The travellers he met became friends, mentors and sources of learning.
The people who believed in him gave him confidence.
And the tiger became one of the most powerful symbols of the life he chose.
After years of working in India’s forests, Teerth still approaches wildlife with the curiosity of someone who knows that there is always something new to learn.
Because the forest never truly stops teaching.
This is more than the story of a wildlife guide.
It is the story of a life lived through the jungle—from Bandhavgarh to the wider forests of Central India.
