Palakkad: A Kerala couple's love for an elephant has become a buzz in conservation circles and alike. Ramakrishna Gupthan, aged 84, and his wife K. Barukutty, aged 75, hailing from Sri Krishnapuram near Palakkad in Kerala, present a unique case.
In a heartwarming celebration of this unique bond between humans and elephants, they have been raising an elephant for over three decades at their own home. Both are retired government servants, with careers as a Panchayat Secretary and a Government School Teacher respectively and have three sons and a daughter.
In 2001, with the help of friends and relatives, they found an elephant calf for sale in Andaman. They brought the animal which was named Vijay when it was only five years old. It arrived in Chennai by boat from the Andamans and was then transported to their hometown by lorry.
Vijay is now a majestic 27-year-old, and for Ramakrishna Gupthan and K. Barkutty, he is more than just an animal. He is reared as their own 'child.' They spend their pension money to look after Vijay, whom they affectionately refer to as 'Yanai Vijay.'
Despite the financial demands, including food, medical care, and insurance, the couple has no regrets about spending their retirement savings on their cherished pet. "We bought the elephant with the money we received upon retiring as government employees. We are raising Vijay as our own child, using our monthly pension. So long we are alive, we will continue to care for Vijay. However, we do worry about who will look after him when we are no longer here," the couple said.
