Bomman is an Indian mahout, who works in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. He is best known for starring in the Oscar-winning short documentary film titled The Elephant Whispers (2022).
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Of. Bomman was born in 1971 (age 52 years; as of 2023) in Mudumalai, Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 6″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye colour: dark brown
Family
Bomman was born in a Hindu family belonging to the Kattunayakan tribe in Tamil Nadu.
parents and siblings
His father, Kunjan, was a mahout.
wife and children
His wife, Belli Amma, is a mahout and works at Theppakadu elephant camp. They first met when the forest department temporarily hired Bailey as a caretaker for two elephant calves, Raghu and Bommi. They got married in late 2000.
picture of bomman and bailey together
He had a son and a daughter. His son died during the shooting of The Elephant Whispers. Her stepdaughter, whom Bailey had met through her first husband, died in a local hospital after setting herself on fire.
Religion
Bomman follows Hindu religion. Apart from being a mahout, he is also a temple priest and worships Lord Ganesha.
Address
He lives in Theppakadu Elephant Camp, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu-643223, India.
livelihood
mahout
As a mahout, he started working with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department in 1984 at the Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. There, he was tasked with finding and rescuing elephants in distress. In May 2017, he rescued and adopted a 3-month-old baby elephant, Raghu, after his mother died due to electric shock in the Mudumali Tiger Reserve. In June 2019, he rescued another elephant baby named Bommi (aka Ammu) after he was left behind by his herd in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Later, Bommi was brought to the Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, where forest officials tried to reunite Bommi with her herd. However, his efforts were unsuccessful. After this, a worker S. Muraleedharan filed a suit in the Madras High Court, seeking to stop the efforts of forest department officials to reunite Bommi with his herd as it endangered Bommi’s life. In his suit, Muraleedharan also asked the court to order the forest department to keep Bommi in a zoo or elephant camp. On 24 October 2019, High Court judges M. Satyanarayanan (retd) and N. Seshasayee gave his verdict in favor of Muraleedharan and ordered the forest department to hand over the baby elephant to Bomman as he had the right experience in raising baby elephants. Haathi because she had also raised Raghu.. The court asked Bomman to raise Bommi with “utmost care” and in a “safe manner”. Initially, Raghu found it difficult to accept Bommi and often became jealous as Bomman and Bailey were drawing their attention towards him. However, Raghu later accepts Bommi as part of his family.
A picture of Bomman with Raghu and Bommi
In 2023, he was ordered by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department on the instructions of the Madras High Court to find two elephant calves missing in the Palakode forest in Dharmapuri. In an interview, he had said that he would like to find the calves, adopt them and raise them. Talking about this he said,
These are two baby elephants that were part of a herd. Their mother was among the three elephants who died of electric shock in Dharmapuri last week. After being chased by some people in an inebriated state, he went into the forest. “If I find them, I hope I get a chance to raise them.”
elephant whisperers
Bomman appeared in the 2022 short documentary film The Elephant Whispers, produced by Guneet Monga and directed by Kartiki Gonsalves. Shooting of the documentary began in 2017, and features Bomman, his wife, Bailey, and Raghu and Bommi, two baby elephants who were raised by the two. The shooting of the film ended in 2022 and was released on Netflix the same year. In 2023, this film received the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film. In an interview, Bomman said that he was very happy that the film received an Oscar. He further said that this is a big achievement for India. Talking about the film he said,
This is a matter of pride for our country. The documentary makers filmed me and the elephants as we usually are and captured our regular lives on a day-to-day basis. However, standing and talking in front of the camera was different because it was my first time. I am also grateful to Kartiki madam and the elephants. I am happy that this award has made the entire country and our forest department proud.”
Bomman in a scene from the film The Elephant Whispers
In April 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Theppakadu elephant camp, where he met Bomman, Bailey, Raghu and Bommi.
A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bomman and Bailey
On 9 May 2023, Bomman & Bailey and The Elephant Whispers director Karthik Gonsalves visited the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, where MS Dhoni presented them personalized jerseys.
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni presenting the jerseys to Bomman and Bailey on 9 May 2023
Controversy
Legal notice to film producer Karthiki Gonsalves
In August 2023, Bomman and Bailey issued a legal notice to filmmaker Karthiki Gonsalves, demanding Rs. 1,000 as a ‘goodwill gesture’. 2 crores. The legal notice was issued by Chennai-based social activist Praveen Raj, who is also a practicing lawyer. Talking about this in an interview, Raj said,
Both Boman and Bailey are disappointed with Gonsalves, who had promised them financial help while making the film, as well as helping with the education of Bailey’s granddaughter. But now she is refusing to give even a part of the huge profits made from the film.
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Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn