A birder’s colourful odyssey

Hyderabad: Juggling different passions in life may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But for Madhu Chevakula, a pakka Hyderabadi, this is what defines his life. From being a teacher, a biker and then becoming a self-taught bird and animal photographer, Madhu has dabbled with all his passions and interests with similar vigour. About five […]

Hyderabad: Juggling different passions in life may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But for Madhu Chevakula, a pakka Hyderabadi, this is what defines his life. From being a teacher, a biker and then becoming a self-taught bird and animal photographer, Madhu has dabbled with all his passions and interests with similar vigour.

About five years ago, Madhu went on his first bike trip from Hyderabad to Spiti Valley and covered the distance in 13 days. Before that, he completed his first trek covering 6,000 metres in Manali and explored different places. It was around the same time that the full-time teacher decided to try his hand in photography when he spotted a rare bird near his house in Hyderabad.

“I have always believed that life is not about being stagnant but about moving and exploring. Having grown up listening to my grandparent’s stories about beautiful places and imagining myself in those places put the bug of an explorer in my heart. Once I started earning and bought my bike, I was always on the lookout for newer destinations and places. In the last five to six years, I have covered the entire Himachal Pradesh region, Delhi and most of the Southern States,” says Madhu.

Providing insights on his journey to become a photographer, Madhu says the first bird he clicked when he bought his first camera was a colourful bird outside his home. He was intrigued by the myriad colours of the bird and wanted to explore more such species. He started experimenting with his camera, got suggestions from his peers, and also learned from experts during his biking expedition about camera technicalities.

“Once I started exploring more and more places and making new friends, I gained the confidence to click more pictures. I was always on the lookout for new species of birds and animals whenever I went on a biking trip or trekking. Over the years, I have gained good exposure to be able to capture the right kind of species at the right moment. I have learned everything on the field. My next target is to cover all the States in India and also explore more wildlife animals in the forests of Telangana and other States,” he says.

Madhu runs a tutorial – which has now gone online during the pandemic – along with his wife and has a seven-years-old son. He took his son on his first trekking expedition when he was just two years old, and terms his wife as his biggest supporter.

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