v. I: THE NATURE OF BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA: Humankind and the web of life -- The biodiversity of India -- The nature of the Indian wilderness -- India{u2019}s floral heritage -- India{u2019}s rich faunal heritage -- v. II: NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES OF INDIA: Five decades of travels in the Indian wilderness -- National parks and wildlife sanctuaries -- The cold desert of the Ladakh Plateau and the lofty Himalayas -- The Himalayan foothills, the Terai and the North-East -- Arid and semi-arid regions of the West -- The Sal Forests of Central India -- The Teak Forests of Central and Peninsular India -- The Deccan grasslands and scrublands -- The forests of the Western Ghats -- The Teak Forests of South India -- The Sholas, evergreen hill forests and moist evergreen low forests -- The waterside: rivers and lakes -- The coastal waters and river deltas -- Emerald islands.