India, Oct. 23 -- Field director of Corbett Tiger Reserve Saket Badola, a senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, has applied for voluntary retirement from service.

Badola, an IFS officer of the 2008 batch from the Uttarakhand cadre, currently serving as Chief Conservator of Forests, announced his decision in a statement on X, saying he took the call after months of serious contemplation and was seeking voluntary retirement from the IFS on "personal grounds".

"After months of serious contemplation, I have decided to voluntarily retire from the Indian Forest Service on personal grounds," he said.

Recalling his journey, Badola said that coming from a humble family in Pauri district of Uttarakhand, joining an All India Service had bee...