Gwalior/Sheopur: President Droupadi Murmu visited Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district, where she reviewed the progress of Project Cheetah and interacted with local communities supporting India’s ambitious wildlife restoration programme.
The President arrived at Maharajpura Air Force Station in Gwalior on Sunday, June 21, at 2:40 pm by an Indian Air Force aircraft. She was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel. After a brief halt, the President left for Kuno by helicopter.
At the Gwalior airport, President Murmu was welcomed by Governor Patel and Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Minister Tulsiram Silawat, who was present as the Chief Minister’s representative and district in-charge minister. Social Justice and Horticulture Minister Narayan Singh Kushwah, Energy Minister Pradyuman Singh Tomar, MP Bharat Singh Kushwah and Mayor Shobha Satish Sikarwar also welcomed the President with bouquets.
Senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Manu Shrivastava, DG Home Guards Pragya Richa Shrivastava, Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan, Superintendent of Police Dharmveer Singh and senior Air Force officers, were present at the airport.
During her visit to Kuno National Park, President Murmu toured the Cheetah Management Area and was briefed about Project Cheetah, India’s major conservation initiative aimed at reintroducing cheetahs after their extinction from the country.
The visit also carried a special connection with the President’s state visit to Botswana in November 2025, where she had witnessed the symbolic donation of eight cheetahs by Botswana. These cheetahs were later brought to Kuno National Park in February 2026.
President Murmu concluded her Kuno visit by interacting with Cheetah Mitras and members of the Sahariya tribal community of Madhya Pradesh. She appreciated their contribution to Project Cheetah, underlining the role of local communities in protecting wildlife and supporting conservation on the ground.
After completing the programme in Sheopur, the President returned to Gwalior by helicopter on Monday morning. She reached Maharajpura Air Force Station and departed for New Delhi by an Indian Air Force aircraft at 10:40 am.
Project Cheetah is one of India’s most closely watched wildlife conservation efforts, combining international cooperation, scientific monitoring and community participation. At Kuno, the big cats may be the headline act, but the people working quietly around them remain an equally important part of the story.
