Edward James Corbett alias Jim Corbett, as he is widely known, was born at Nainital on July 25, 1875. His father, Christopher Corbett, was a Post Master at Nainital. Jim got his schooling at Nainital and  studied  up  to  Matric.  He spent  most of his holidays at the family's winter home at Kaladhungi, 15 miles from  Nainital  in the foothills. It was in Kaladhungi and its surrounding forests that Jim  Corbett learnt all he knew about the jungle.

Jim Corbett got a job in the Railways at Mokameh Ghat in Bihar at the age of 18. He  worked  as  Fuel  Inspector and  later  as Assistant Station  Master  and  Store Keeper. Thereafter, he   became  a labour contractor. At the time of the First  World War, he  got recruited  500 men  from Kumaon  and  took them to France. In 1920, he returned to Nainital. He was a Member of the Municipal Board, Nainital from 1920 to 1944. During the Second World War, he gave Jungle Warfare Training to the soldiers.

While living at Mokameh Ghat, Jim Corbett used to go to Kumaon to kill man­eaters. He had an excellent knowledge of Kumaon   forests and was well-conversant with its wild life. He could call animals by immitating their calls. His shooting was confined to killing of man-eating tigers and leopards.  During  his  hunting  career,  he shot dead 12 man-eaters which had killed at least 1500 persons among the villages of Kumaon.

Jim Corbett was a great lover of wild life. He repeatedly stressed the fact that unless wounded or attacked,  wild animals seldom or never caused harm to anyone. He disliked killing animals except out of necessity. He formed a society to  preserve  India's wild life and published a magazine called 'Indian Wild Life'. Through his efforts,  a game sanctuary was established in Garhwal known as Hailey National Park. This was re-named in 1957 as Corbett National Park in recognition of his services for preservation of wild life.

Jim Corbett was a good writer. His writing was fluent, interesting and powerful. He wrote six books Man-eaters of Kumaon, My India, Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, Jungle Lore, Temple Tiger and Tree Tops. These books became  very  popular. He spent the major portion of his royalty from these books on the blind in  England and India. He also used to distribute medicines to the sick people in Kumaon and took interest in their welfare.

Jim Corbett migrated to Kenya, along with his sister Maggie, in 1947. He died at Nyeri in Kenya on April 19, 1955 at the age of 80. The Govt. of Uttar Pradesh has acquired his house at Kaladhungi and has maintained it as a Museum.

The Posts & Telegraphs Department is privileged to issue a commemorative  stamp in honour of Jim Corbett during the year of his  birth  centenary.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India