Discovering India's Freshwater Fish and Their Habitats: Meet the Meenkaran of Madras

Introducing the "Meenkaran of Madras," Beta Mahatvaraj, a man passionate about something truly unique. We've all seen people with exciting hobbies, like collecting coins, conducting heritage walks, or even wildlife photography. But Beta has dedicated the past two decades to documenting Indian freshwater fishes and their habitats through photographs and videos.

Beta's incredible knowledge of Indian fish and his contribution to this field have been exceptional. His work raises awareness about the country's fish biodiversity and the need to conserve their habitats. He's even contributed content for various publications targeting the scientific community and aquarists, conducted workshops on fish photography, and documented his findings on rare and lesser-known fish species.

One of Beta's latest projects is a photo exhibition of fish species indigenous to India, featuring over 150 portraits of freshwater and brackishwater fish species and their habitats. This exhibition, which began in January 2023, is being held at the Chennai Public Aquarium at the Eco Park in Chetpet.

The exhibition sheds light on lesser-known fish species of Tamil Nadu, such as the Tambraparani Barb and Rohani Barb, along with others found throughout India. The portraits are displayed in four themes, those found along the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and those found only in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India, including the Northeastern States.

Beta has photographed some of the rare species on display at the exhibition, such as Aenigmachanna gollum (Dragon Snakehead), Channa barca (Barca Snakehead), Dawkinsia tambraparniei (Tamiraparani Barb), and Schismatogobius deraniyagali (Redneck Goby). One of the species, Betadevario ramachandrani, is a cyprinid fish found only in the upper Seetha River drainage in Karnataka. It's the only member of its genus, Betadevario. It was found in cascade and riffle pools of a high-altitude stream, and Beta contributed specimens for the study. Hence, it's named after him. Sven O Kullander from Swedish Museum of Natural History, conducted the study.

This exhibition is a must-visit for anyone interested in fish photography or just someone who appreciates the wonder of nature. It's an excellent opportunity for the public of Chennai to explore the diverse species of fish found in India. The exhibition will be open for a few more months, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Happy travelling!