Tiger cub named after Ladakh hero Col Santosh Babu

Naveen S Garewal

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Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, August 16

The Hyderabad Zoo has named one of the three male cubs born to a Royal Bengal tigress after Colonel Santosh Babu, the braveheart who laid down his life during a violent clash with the Chinese troops in Ladakh.

One of the three cubs has been named “Santosh” in honour of the late Army officer, Nehru Zoological Park curator N Kshitija announced while hoisting the national flag on Independence Day.

He disclosed that tigress Asha had given birth to three male cubs during the lockdown, the two other cubs have been named “Surya” and “Sankalp’.

Col Santosh Babu’s widow Santoshi formally joined as the Deputy Collector in Telangana after meeting Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and submitted her joining report.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had handed over the appointment letter to Santoshi on July 22. He had also asked his Secretary Smita Sabharwal to be with Santoshi till she gets proper training and settles down in her job.

Besides being appointed as Deputy Collector, the family of Col Babu has also been allotted a plot measuring 711 square yards in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Earlier the state also gave a cheque of Rs 4 crore to Santoshi, wife of the slain colonel and Rs 1 crore to Upendar and Manjula, parents of Col Santosh Babu.