‘Suddenly, with a huge roar, the tiger attacked the front wheel of the tractor and literally tore itto shreds. The vehicle tilted dangerously to one side and we clung on for dear life.’

In the late 1960s, young IAS officer Yogesh Chandra was posted to Pilibhit, a breathtaking Teraidistrict on the Nepal border. It was a different India then, when days were spent solving people’sproblems and nights echoed with the pukh, pukh of chital, the khor, khor of langurs, the meowr,meowr of peafowls and the deep, resonant roar of tigers in the dark.

From the sugarcane fields of Bahraich to the ravines of Chambal and the misty slopes of Kumaon,Chandra recounts his wild escapades on the trail of man-eating tigers and fearsome dacoits, whiletracing the footsteps of the legendary Jim Corbett. Yet, beneath the thrill lies a wistful note for theforests that once teemed with life.

Inside this book, you’ll find

🐅 Encounters with man-eaters: Gripping real-life confrontations that test courage, instinct andsurvival.

🦧 The forest as it once was: A sensory portrait of the Terai jungles in their full, untamed splendour.

🔫 On the trail of dacoits: Thrilling episodes from the lawless ravines of Chambal.

🌲 A civil servant’s wild posting: The unique challenges and unexpected joys of serving in remoteIndia.

📜 Walking with legends: Reflections inspired by Jim Corbett’s legacy and India’s conservation history.

Echoes from the wild

• A vanished India brought to life: A rare, first-hand account of a time when humans andwildlife lived in uneasy proximity.

• Adventure rooted in truth: Every story is drawn from official postings, lived danger and reallandscapes.

• A tribute to the wild: Captures the majesty of forests now altered or lost to time.

• Wisdom from a life of service: Reveals what it meant to lead, protect and serve whileconfronting nature—and human nature—at its fiercest.

A real-life adventure you won’t forget

Vivid, witty and unforgettable, An Officer and a Tiger is a real-life adventure where the jungle isalive, danger is constant and every dawn brings a new story worth telling.

Publisher: Rupa Publications India

Author: Yogesh Chandra

Pages: 176

ISBN: 9789353525620

Publication Date: 05 January 2026