Mysore, June 16, 2013:
Photos by Narayan Yadav
S. Balasubramanya, popularly known as Snake Shyam, is a household name in the city of palaces. Besides a wildlife conservationist, he is an auto rickshaw driver by profession, catches more than 27,000 snakes and created a sort of record to his credit.
Though not a trained herpetologist, he is known for snake rescue and rehabilitation. Snake Shyam is often seen on his motorcycle or auto rickshaw carrying pillowcase and badminton racket which is used to catch snakes. People call him every day to catch snakes which often intrude into residential areas in Mysore. He is also termed as one of the most easily recognizable persons in Mysore.
Snake Shyam is often consulted by the local hospitals to identify the snake species in order to provide the necessary treatment for the victim suffering from snake bite.
The inspiration for his career comes from a film he remembers seeing in the 1980s in which a tribal boy monchalantly catches a snake. Another curious aspect of this achievement is that shyam did not keep count of how many snakes he’s dound until 1997.
I heard a girl scream from a neighbor‘s one day, when a cobra slithered into the house, the snake catcher recalls. He caught his first snake then he recalled.
Speaking to Enarada he said having completed his studies in ITI, worked in various companies in Mysore before taking up auto rickshaw driving as a profession in 1989. Prior to this, he started rescuing snakes in 1980 and till now he has rescued and rehabilitated more than 27,000 snakes. He was also accorded with the prestigious Rajyotsava Award by the Karnataka State Government in 2010.
After 32 years of social service, Snake Shyam has now entered the political arena by contesting in the Mysore City Corporation polls from ward 17 with a BJP ticket and won to become councilor in March this year. When asked the reason behind him entering politics, he said that many elderly persons have come to him seeking help to get their benefits announced by the Government. “Whenever I have approached officials they have helped me without delay, but if I have some power, I can help much more people, this is the reason behind me deciding to contest polls,” he says.
Being one of the most easily recognizable people in Mysore, was there a need for Shyam to identify himself with a political party, he said that till now nobody had recognized him for the services he had done over the past 32 years.
“This is a very good opportunity for me to work for the people. People always demand four major things — clean roads, light, water and good sewage system — which are not difficult to fulfill ” said Shyam.
“I will work for the development of the ward and see that my ward would be a model for others. I have not set plans and I will also not commit myself by any promises. It would depend on the allocation of funds according to which I would plan the developmental activities” he added.
Snake Shyam, who is contested polls for the first time, aims to bring in clean environment in politics and retain the name he has earned over the past 3 decades.
He, however continued his profession of taking school children to the school even today.
