The Real Indian Dog

The book is a well-researched treatise on the historical presence of native dog breeds in Indian society.

- Janaki Lenin

WHEN readers see the title The Book of Indian Dogs, they might think it is about street dogs. The reason for this confusion is the misappropriation of the term “Indian dogs” by animal welfare activists. I will come to this later. The book focusses, instead, on indigenous breeds, such as the Kurumalai, the Jonangi and the Kaikadi. If none of these names sound familiar, S. Theodore Baskaran’s book is the antidote.

In a short introduction, the author narrates an incident that set him on his quest. He ran into a man with two Rajapalayam puppies at the Tirunelveli railway station in Tamil Nadu. On an impulse, Baskaran requested a puppy and forgot all about it. Five months later, the man arrived at his doorstep bearing a pup. His interactions with Madhu, his new pet, kindled his interest in native breeds. That was the year 1968. About half a century later, the result of that engagement comes to us as The Book of Indian Dogs.

Throughout his career in the Indian Postal Service, Baskaran utilised his postings in different parts of the country to explore the natural world. Before retiring as the Chief Postmaster General of Tamil Nadu, he set the ball rolling for a special series of stamps on four indigenous dog breeds,which were finally released in 2005. After retirement, he was the director of the Roja Muthiah Research Library in Chennai for three years. This research background shows in the many interesting vignettes throughout the book.