After spending nearly five decades in captivity, ‘Raju’ the begging elephant had lost all hope of a life, free from cruelty and abuse. Four years ago, India based charity Wildlife SOS successfully rescued this majestic pachyderm & Raju went on the become the elephant who’s tears captured the hearts of millions! To commemorate his ‘Rescue-versary’, Wildlife SOS put together a special surprise for Raju at the Elephant Conservation & Care Centre, Mathura!



On the night of 4th of July 2014, as Independence Day celebrations were winding down on the other end of the world, a team of rescuers from Wildlife SOS was closing in on Raju. The rescue operation that followed brought Raju to freedom and catapulted him into international fame. Dubbed “the crying elephant” after the video that captured what appeared to be tears rolling down his face as the Wildlife SOS rescue team cut his chains went viral overnight, Raju became a symbol of hope for captive abused elephants the world over.



Poached as a calf after being forcibly torn away from his mother and herd, Raju had spent nearly 50 years working as a begging elephant on the streets of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The spiked chains that had shackled him and controlled him all these years had dug deep into his flesh, producing abscesses and open wounds. His withering body bore multiple scars from ankush (bull hook) use, and his spirit was all but broken, a testament to the ordeals he had been through.

The video was shot on 4 July 2018