International Tiger Day: Capturing elegance of the big cats

Aishwarya Sridhar became the first Indian woman to win the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award at the 56th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition held in London by the Natural History Museum.

Maya, the most photographed tigress and the reigning queen of Tadoba national park in Maharashtra, controls five major water bodies in her territory. She's also a super mom. Being orphaned at an early age, she relised the importance of inculcating self-reliance in her young ones. Training her cubs earned her the reputation of a tigress who has defied her wild genetics.

I have been fortunate to witness two such training lessons in Tadoba. The first one was a scene that I will never forget, and surprisingly, both happened during a week of my stay at Tadoba. Her strategic techniques of false mating have not only helped her survive but also helped her protect her cubs from rival males too many times. I have never had a trip to Tadoba and not seen Maya. It is as though she senses my love for her and ensures we meet every time I visit.