Chhattisgarh: 10 Years Later, DNA Test of ‘Deepasha’ Still Pending, Wildlife Enthusiast Questions the Delay

Raipur, 4th January: Ten years ago, the Chhattisgarh Forest Department made headlines by claiming to have successfully cloned the world’s first wild buffalo, named Deepasha.
However, despite these claims, the true identity of Deepasha—whether it is indeed a wild buffalo or a domestic Murrah buffalo—remains unresolved as the Forest Department has yet to conduct a DNA test.
Background of Deepasha
Deepasha was born on 12th December 2014 at the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, following a cloning process that combined somatic cell culture from a wild buffalo named Asha from the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve and an ovary from a domestic buffalo at a Delhi slaughterhouse.
The cloning procedure reportedly cost around ₹1 crore. On 28th August 2018, Deepasha was brought to the Jungle Safari in New Raipur. A special enclosure worth ₹2.5 crore was constructed to house the animal.
In December 2018, a meeting chaired by the Chief Wildlife Conservator (Wildlife) in Raipur decided that Deepasha’s DNA test should be conducted by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad and the White Life Institute of India in Dehradun.
However, even after two and a half years, the samples were only sent to CCMB in 2020, with no follow-up action. It wasn’t until November 2024 that a reminder was sent to the institute. Similarly, the samples sent to the White Life Institute of India in Dehradun have yet to yield any results, with another reminder sent in November 2024.
Why Is the DNA Test Delayed?
The estimated cost of the DNA test is ₹15,000, yet the Forest Department has not yet paid the test fees to either of the institutes, leading to speculation that this may be the reason for the delay in obtaining the results.
Another question remains whether there are other reasons for the prolonged delay in providing the DNA test report.
State Government Officials Unresponsive
Since September 2021, the Chhattisgarh government has been requesting a status report regarding Deepasha from the Forest Department. Despite several reminders, including a request for the report within seven days in July 2024, no response has been provided by the officials.
Comparison With Other Wild Buffaloes
In contrast, the Forest Department brought two wild buffaloes from Assam in 2020 and four more in 2023. In both cases, DNA test reports were received within ten days. However, Deepasha’s identity has remained unresolved for over a decade.
Access to Deepasha Restricted
Access to Deepasha at the Jungle Safari is highly restricted. Only VIPs are allowed to view the animal, while the general public is not permitted to see it.
Wildlife Enthusiast Questions the Delay
Wildlife enthusiast Nitin Singhvi has raised concerns about Deepasha’s prolonged captivity and the Forest Department’s failure to identify the animal’s true lineage. Singhvi questioned why Deepasha, who visibly resembles a Murrah buffalo, has been kept in confinement for so long if she is not a wild buffalo.
He argued that if Deepasha is indeed a domestic buffalo, she should be released into the wild, where she could contribute to the gene pool and lead a natural life, as nature intended for all creatures. Singhvi further criticized the Forest Department for its failure to conduct the DNA test despite multiple requests and his personal meetings with the then Forest Minister.
He also pointed out that the department’s reluctance to carry out the test might be due to the fear of public embarrassment, considering the significant amount of money spent on the cloning project.
In Singhvi’s view, the prolonged confinement of Deepasha behind bars, without the opportunity to live freely in her natural habitat, not only raises ethical concerns but also undermines the very principles of wildlife conservation.