“Whatever one writes or talks about the longest living tigress in the world would be specious, such was her legend and her lure. Machli’s most important contribution to Ranthambore was that she was such a successful reproductive tigress. When Ranthambore was struggling with a dwindling tiger population — in the years between 20003, 2004 and 2005 — Machli was renewing the population. She had cubs, and then her cubs had their cubs...

Machli was one of the most photographed tigers in the country. This picture was clicked by wildlife photographer Pranad Patil