Kantilal Jivan Shah (1922–2010), also known as Kanti, was a Seychellois conservationist. He has been described as a

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

, natural history expert, palmist,

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat ( red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetaria ...

cook and teacher, photographer, artist and sculptor, agronomist and intellectual.

Early life

In 1922, Shah was born in

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the nin ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. When he was five years old, his family moved to Seychelles.

Career

Shah ran an export and import business established by his father in 1890, conducted through a colonial store in Victoria purchased by his family in 1925. His store, named Jivan Imports, sold

textiles Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not th ...

and local

souvenirs A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a ...

, with his living space and library located on the second floor. He was better known for his environmentalism and

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

work in Seychelles and as a leading historian and folklorist. He was a committee member of various organizations such as the Alliance Francaise, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Seychelles Environment Trust Fund.

Works

Shah produced the first coloured calendars and postcards for the governor of Seychelles using his own photographs. Shah contributed to a booklet titled ''The History of Paper Currency in the Seychelles'', published on June 29, 2006, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Seychellois independence.

Environmentalism

Shah was involved in conservation and environmental activities, including raising public awareness, creation of national parks and nature reserves like the Ste. Anne Marine National Park and Port Launay Marine National Park, and protective legislation for marine life, such as the Protection of Shells Act, Animal and Bird Protection, Controlled Cropping of Seabirds' Eggs, and Protection of Turtles.

Politics

In 1965, Shah was elected to Victoria District Council to represent the Pier Ward. He later acted as chairman.

Media presence

Shah promoted Seychelles globally through magazines, TV programmes, newspapers and guides, and was also featured in international media, such as in programmes and broadcasts from

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

. He was a host to some influential global personalities like Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

and Mother Teresa to Ian Fleming, the creator of

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 19 ...

. The latter featured Jivan as a character in his last Bond novel. He also acted in a movie with the actor

Omar Sharif Omar Sharif ( ar, عمر الشريف ; born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub , 10 April 193210 July 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the ...

Awards and memberships

Shah was included in the UN Environmental Program

Global 500 Roll of Honour The Global 500 Roll of Honour was an award given from 1987 to 2003 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The award recognized the environmental achievements of individuals and organizations around the world. A successor system of UNEP ...

as an adult award winner in 1990 for over 30 years of conservation work. He also became a Fellow of the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

in 1990. Shah was honoured by the Royal Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters.

Death

Shah died in 2010 at the age of 88 in Victoria Hospital. He was survived by his son Nirmal Shah, the chief executive of Nature Seychelles.

References

External links

Entry in the UNEP Global 500 Roll of Honour
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jivan, Kantilal 1922 births 2010 deaths Seychellois artists 20th-century Hindu religious leaders Seychellois Hindus Seychellois environmentalists Seychellois people of Indian descent