Book review on India: The Tiger's Roar Published in Scottish Field 17 February, 2005

‘There is nothing quite like the joy and thrill of seeing tigers in the wild,’ enthuses Aline Dobbie. ‘It was for me a culmination of a dream and I just felt hugely privileged to be able to watch these wonderful animals. I defy anyone to be blasé about such an experience.’

Aline has been fascinated by that most magnificent and elusive of beasts, the tiger, since she was a child born and brought up in India. Her father, Colonel Frank Rose, was an officer in the Indian Army and as he was posted to various parts of the country, Aline was lucky to experience everything from cities such as Delhi and Calcutta to the wild jungles of Northern India and the untouched, tranquil waterways of Kerala in the south.

‘My childhood in India was remarkable,’ Aline says. ‘It was a great privilege growing up in such a lovely country and as I am bilingual and speak Hindi/Urdu, it gives me a further understanding of the nuances and sensitivities, allowing me the chance to have a rapport with various sides of society. I was brought up to respect different cultures and had a whale of a time travelling extensively.’

Although Aline returned to her native Scotland at the age of 16 after India was granted her independence, her affection for the land of her birth has not diminished. Now married to Graham, a PDSA vet, with two grown-up sons – Hamish and Stewart – and two grandchildren, they have lived in various parts of the world such as South Africa, but have happily settled in Biggar in the Borders.