Upala KBR (DNA; October 4, 2015)


“I am obsessed with animals and have been since the day I was born. I am a Leo – a born lion and have grown up with dogs, roosters and geese on my Mangalore farm. My pets are my life. I have bird homes and all kinds of bird feeders in my Panvel farmhouse. I am involved with Project Discovery where the concept is to build a bird sanctuary with trees planted in such a way that different birds come to roost on different trees. It’s a lifestyle project for 21 villas where I want to give people the feel of a forest home.

I have five dogs at home (three Great Danes Troy, Tom, Duke, a Pug Chelsea and my brat a husky called Brody. I lost three of my dogs (a Great dane, Dobermann and French Mastiff) last year because of age... It’s very painful to lose your pets who are like your family. Everyone in my family – from Mana to Athiya and Ahaan adore our pets. We all talk to our pets. Brody tells me everything – from complaining to me to wanting to go down for walk and playing with him.

On World Animal Day I would like to tell people that if you destroy the habitat for animals and plants then very soon there won’t be any life left on earth. They can’t take the heat and if you don’t provide them with water then how will they survive? I have even cultivated a butterfly farm in my garden at Panvel. I have planted trees and plants where they come to nest. My forest is a complete plantation with the help of horticulturists. You have to see to believe it — the kind of butterflies that are there in my backyard! I feel this whole animal thing will work if we all plant trees and take it up as a community service. The cycle of life begins with water, plants and then birds, animals and human.

I would like to tell people don’t destroy the habitat of the animals. We get into the cheetahs and leopards homes in the forests destroying the environment and making the smaller animals run away. How would we feel if they destroyed our homes and we would go hungry? We loot, kill and destroy when we are hungry. We are always cutting down mangroves to make houses killing the birds and reptile life there. Oxygen and water are as natural for them as they are to us. We say Kashmir is beautiful and clean with pure air but when we destroy forests it’s like taking away their Kashmir!

I would like to thank my pets for giving us so much joy and putting life into our lives and not just days into our lives. Those who don’t have pets or are not animal-obsessed don’t know what they are missing! Let’s make everything pet-friendly soon.

The day I hang my boots up it will be for nature. Right now whatever difference I can do for the habitat I am doing — like getting the plants, trees and birds in my home and working spaces. If you come to my Mumbai office you will see so many plants and trees. That’s because I take care of them. Even Ahaan today breeds Koi fish on our farm and has about 400 of them. He has created a waterbody for them and takes out time every weekend to see the fish. Every animals, bird or plants on our farm is there purely for love — nobody is allowed to touch them. Athiya calls it the Old Macdonald Farm.”