PNS|Vijayawada
In a significant gesture of inter-State cooperation, the Karnataka government officially handed over four trained elephants (kumki elephants) to Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. The event was held at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru and was graced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Forest Minister Pawan Kalyan received the elephants on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh government.
The event began with a traditional gaja puja (elephant worship), after which Pawan Kalyan formally welcomed the elephants amidst floral showers.
While Karnataka had committed to providing six kumki elephants, only four — named Deva, Krishna, Abhimanyu and Mahendra — were handed over in the first phase. Karnataka authorities stated that the remaining two elephants will be delivered later due to health concerns and incomplete training.
As part of the formal proceedings, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented Pawan Kalyan with official documents, licences and elephant care protocols.
The elephants were then officially transferred from Karnataka Forest Department officials to their Andhra Pradesh counterparts.
To ensure a smooth transition and proper care, mahouts (elephant caretakers) from Karnataka will stay in Andhra Pradesh for two months, providing training to local mahouts on handling and managing the elephants.
Speaking on the occasion, Siddaramaiah expressed Karnataka’s willingness to provide more elephants in the future based on Andhra Pradesh’s needs. He also stressed the importance of maintaining friendly and cooperative relations between the two States.
Pawan Kalyan assured that he would personally oversee the health and well-being of the elephants and thanked Karnataka for their support. Senior forest officials from both States were present at the handover ceremony.
