Chennai: Marking a milestone in elephant conservation in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated India’s second dedicated Mahout Village, consisting of 47 staff quarters constructed at a cost of Rs 5.4 crore, dedicated to the welfare of mahouts and elephant caretakers at the Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve on Monday
The effort follows the inauguration of India’s first Mahout Village at Theppakadu in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in May 2025. With this, Tamil Nadu had set a new benchmark in recognizing the selfless service of mahouts and kavadis, who devote their lives to the care and companionship of elephants, an official press release said.
The Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp, one of the oldest in India, is home to mahouts from the tribal community who inherit generations of traditional knowledge in elephant management. The camp currently housed 24 elephants and essential facilities had been upgraded with modern amenities, including an elephant viewing gallery and a visitor’s walkway to promote conservation awareness, the release said.
A pioneering initiative at Kozhikamuthi is the establishment of a solar powered micro-grid with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), funded by the State Planning Commission’s Innovation Fund at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore. The system comprises a 124 kWp solar plant, a 516 kWh battery bank, and a 100 kW inverter, ensuring an uninterrupted green power supply to the elephant camp and all 47 mahout households.
Even in cloudy or rainy conditions, the system provided two days of autonomy, making the village a living model of energy independence, sustainable living, and harmony with nature, the release said, adding that it represented one of the best practices in tiger reserve management in the country.
Recognizing the invaluable role of tribal knowledge, the State Government had amended service rules to provide direct recruitment opportunities for kavadis from indigenous communities, ensuring their traditional expertise was preserved and integrated into elephant management practices, which not only strengthened conservation efforts but also safeguarded cultural heritage and intergenerational knowledge transfer, the release said.
