Lionel Messi prays, performs puja, and poses with a tiger at Vantara
Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul joined Messi, performing puja at the centre
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Messi received a traditional welcome that included a ceremonial offering of light and was accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. During the visit, the football icon toured the vast facility dedicated to the care and protection of rescued animals and met Radhika Ambani, exchanging warm pleasantries.
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Messi along with Anant Ambani is welcomed with a ceremonial aarti, traditional music and floral greetings, reflecting India’s cultural hospitality.
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The Argentine superstar tours Vantara’s vast conservation campus, home to rescued big cats, elephants, reptiles and other wildlife.
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Messi’s visit reflected this cultural ethos as he participated in traditional Hindu rituals, observed wildlife and interacted with caregivers and conservation teams.
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Messi along with teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, embarked on a guided tour of Vantara’s expansive conservation ecosystem, home to rescued big cats, elephants, herbivores, reptiles and fostered young animals from across the globe.
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At the care centre for lions, leopards, tigers and other endangered species, Messi interacted with animals thriving in enriched, naturalistic environments, many of whom approached him with curiosity.
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During the visit, he also toured the multi speciality wildlife hospital, witnessing real time clinical and surgical procedures, and later fed the okapis, rhinos, giraffes and elephants.
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Messi’s visit brings global attention to India’s conservation efforts, reinforcing the message that protecting wildlife is a shared global responsibility.
IANS
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct.
Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action.
Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya.
His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011.
He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.
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