Catching Snakes Is Social Service For This Young Woman In Odisha’s Angul

Angul: From viper to python, nothing can scare 23-year-old Silka Siloni as she catches snakes as a social service.

A native of Hemsurpada near Angul, this brave-heart woman has no qualms of pursuing a dangerous activity that has been traditionally associated with men.

In fact, she credits her brother Amarjyoti, who is also a snake catcher, for inspiring her with courage as well as training her on handling poisonous snakes with care.

The daughter of Akshya Naik and Minakshi Nanda, Silka has been catching snakes since she was 18 years old. During this time, she has dealt with more than 500 poisonous snakes and is also an active member of Snake Helpline, Odisha.

For her efforts, the Angul district administration has felicitated her with the Kanyaratna Award. The forest department has also conferred the Biju Patnaik Wildlife Award on her.

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