MK Ranjitsinh Jhala

{{short description|Indian environmentalist and prince}}

{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox person

| name = MK Ranjitsinh Jhala

| birth_name =

| birth_date = 19 February 1939

| birth_place = India

| nationality = Indian

| citizenship =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| occupation = Author, Chairman of the Wildlife Trust of India

| awards = Lifetime achievement award

| image =

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}}

Dr. MK Ranjitsinh Jhala (born 19 February 1939){{#tag:ref|M. K. stands for Maharaj Kumar|group=nb}} is an author and authority on wildlife and nature conservation from India.{{cite news|title=Tiger's brush with death at Chorbahuli on NH-7|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tigers-brush-with-death-at-Chorbahuli-on-NH-7/articleshow/50350044.cms|accessdate=13 September 2016|publisher=Times of India|date=28 December 2015}}

He comes from the royal family of Wankaner in Saurashtra.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-18 |title=The Indian Prince Who Gave It All Up for The Jungle {{!}} Condé Nast Traveller |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/indian-prince-gave-jungle/ |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=Condé Nast Traveller India |language=en-IN}}

He served also as Chairman of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI); Dir-Gen CAPART; Dir. and Regional Co-ordinator WWF Tiger Conservation Programme (TCP). Regional Adviser in Nature Conservation (Asia & Pacific) for UNEP. Trustee The Corbett Foundation, member National Forest Commission, Indian Institute of Forest Management Society, International Tropical Timber Organization, Madhya Pradesh State Wildlife Board until 2006{{cite news|title=Cheetahs going back to India? – The next step|url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/india-cheetah928.html#cr|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=Wildlife Extra|date=9 September 2009}}

He joined Indian Administrative Services in 1961 and served in various important posts like Secretary for Forests & Tourism in Madhaya Pradesh 1970-1973, Director Wildlife Preservation 1973-1975. He is author of several books on Indian wildlife and conservation like - "The Indian Blackbuck" (1989), "Indian Wildlife" (1995), "Beyond the Tiger: Portraits of Asian Wildlife" (1997) and others{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

His most noted works are drafting of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India and demarcating many forest as wildlife sanctuaries.{{cite news|title=Meet Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh – Erstwhile Royal, Conservationist, Wildlife Expert And Former Bureaucrat|url=http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/people/interviews/9847-meet-dr-mk-ranjitsinh-erstwhile-royal-conservationist-wildlife-expert-and-former-bureaucrat.html|accessdate=13 September 2016|date=6 December 2014}}{{cite news|title=Share lions, forget cheetahs: layers of hurt Gujarati pride|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/share-lions-forget-cheetahs-layers-of-hurt-gujarati-pride-716436.html|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=First Post|date=21 April 2013}} Further, reintroduction of the cheetah in India as a policy was implemented upon advisory papers submitted by MK Ranjitsinh Jhala and Divyabhanusinh Chavda. They presented their papers after through research on how to go about bringing cheetahs back to India.

He was awarded lifetime achievement award in 2014 for his works in conservation of wildlife.[http://www.vimlapatil.com/vimlablog/tag/ranjitsinh-jhala/ Window to my world]