[1] Its network of conservationists, naturalists, scientists, writers and photographers run various projects in environmental policy, advocacy, science, on-ground support, wildlife habitat management and more.
Inspired by Fateh Singh Rathore, who urged him to educate the Indian citizen on the importance of wildlife conservation, Bittu Sahgal founded the magazine Sanctuary Asia in October 1981.
At the same time, Sanctuary Films was established, and two wildlife conservation serials in Hindi, named ‘Project Tiger’ and 'Rakshak', aired on Doordarshan, India's national television network.
The organisation began to reach out to larger numbers through the syndication of feature articles by diverse authors such as Ruskin Bond,[4] Vijaya Venkat,[5] Dilip D’Souza[6] and more in the mainstream press.
Under the banner of Sanctuary Features, the organisation put forward alternate views on nature, wildlife, conservation and development issues while also covering related subjects like travel, science and health.
Sanctuary Asia, edited by Bittu Sahgal, aims to educate the adult public about the importance of protecting the environment, covers relevant news on wildlife and conservation.
The Ecologist Asia, whose co-editors were Bittu Sahgal, Vandana Shiva, Claude Alvares and Smitu Kothari, was dedicated to disseminating environmental and developmental news relevant to the region.
These conservationists often come from humble backgrounds, and find themselves limited in their ability to expand and fund their work because of the challenges posed by language barriers, geographical remoteness and restricted access to technology and education.