Course Director & Mentor

Mentors & Resource

Dr. Sanjay Molur, Course Director

Sanjay has been involved in conservation for close to three decades working on various aspects from theory to practical application. He is a global expert on conservation assessments and planning. He has assessed over 10,000 taxa from India, southern Asia, southeastern Asia, Africa, and South America across several taxonomic groups. Sanjay adores biodiversity with no particular affiliation to species groups, although when pushed he indicates groups he has worked on in the field — amphibians, tarantulas, rodents, bats, primates, macro fungi, and aquatic plants — as good indicators. He is passionate to work on species that require the most attention, least studied, most persecuted, and considered less charismatic. He is the Chief Editor of the monthly, international, open access, peer-reviewed, Journal of Threatened Taxa. He represents several SSC IUCN specialist groups and represents international boards such as the Alliance for Zero Extinction and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. The RHATC course is his brainchild base on his own experience and development from a similar training he received as an early career conservationist in the early 1990s.

Core Team & Mentors

Trisa Bhattacharjee, Coordinator

I'm an Ecology Graduate from Pondicherry University. I'm a wildlife enthusiast and I like studying human perceptions. Presently, I'm working with Zoo Outreach Organization on documenting perception data and fundraising. Also, I'm a reviewer for Journal of Threatened Taxa. I like spending my time with forests and other indigenous communities. I am a proud student in Zoo Outreach Organization's first batch of Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training Course.

Latha G. Ravikumar, Administrator

I began as an office secretary cum accountant at Zoo Outreach Organisation and later progressed to finance director and administrator. This would not have been possible without Sally and Sanjay, who had recognized my hard work. Now that I have an MBA, I am in charge of the organization's finances, administration, and legalities. Aside from that, I'm involved in most of the ZOO’s projects, which include Zoos' Print, scientific databases, web designing and developing, assistance with developing educational materials, travel planning, computer services, etc. Working at ZOO for more than 30 years has been a rewarding experience. The late Ms. Sally Walker, who served as a mentor, friend, and boss, was instrumental in my professional development, and I will be eternally grateful to her. I am confident that the RHATC initiative, which Sanjay is heading, will be a success, and I am delighted to be a part of this endeavour. I'm pleased to see that Sally's contributions to zoos and wildlife conservation will be recognized by this course, which will continue her legacy of service. Working in the background on projects allows me to maintain a high level of comfort with both production work and project management. My interests include learning new computer skills, business skills, and spending quality time with my family.

Priyanka Iyer, Course Planner

I am passionate about wildlife conservation and have worked on aquatic systems, policy issues, education, and editing publications. I have assisted with IUCN Red List assessments and the Assessment to Planning process as part of the Conservation Planning Specialist Group, South Asia. I am fond of creating art that creates awareness about threats faced by wildlife. I dream of a world where humans understand that they are part of the natural system and fall in love with the magic of reality.

Payal Molur, Course & Conservation Education Planner

As a child I wanted to work with animals, now as an adult I live my dream. I began work in the field of wildlife documentary making, and then moved into education and curriculum development on wildlife topics and have been at it for over 17 years now. I have been a part of several international education teams that have taught issues on tigers, hoolock gibbons, amphibians, primates etc to teachers from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan and in several places across India. I have worked with communities and teachers in Nagaland to create eco clubs and stem the tide of hunting and worked on creating educational signages in museums and parks. Currently I am a freelance trainer with Zoo Outreach (India) in their wildlife education programs in India and a Curriculum Developer and Master Trainer with RoundGlass Learn.

Dr. Mewa Singh

Mewa Singh is an internationally acclaimed expert on ecology and animal behaviour with emphasis on non-human primates. His research has paved the way to better understand social behaviour, resource distribution strategies, ecology, demography and the impacts of habitat destruction on various threatened species. His work on the Slender Loris and the Lion-tailed Macaque brought international attention to these highly endangered but little-known species and has driven on-ground conservation action. His decades long career has seen him shine in the role of Dean at University of Mysore and is currently a Professor For Life at the University. He has mentored a generation of students, many of whom are pursuing studies of their own in the domain of animal behavior, ecology, and conservation biology. With several awards to his credit and with a vast knowledge in various fields of science Mewa is a treasure trove and a steady guiding hand for the students.

Dr. Priya Davidar

Priya is a retired Professor of Ecology from Pondicherry University. She has a Ph.D. in Zoology from Bombay University under the guidance of Dr. Salim Ali, and a S.M. in public health from Harvard University. She was a Post Doctoral fellow and later a Senior fellow at the Smithsonian Institution, USA. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was a faculty at Pondicherry University from 1987 to 2017 where she taught conservation biology, plant animal interactions and ornithology. Her research focus has been mainly on plant ecology, biogeography and conservation. She has studied the large-scale distribution of species across latitudinal and climatic gradients in the Western Ghats in order to understand the role of climate and habitat in limiting species distributions. She has worked on the distribution of forest birds and butterflies in the Andaman island archipelago, and trees distributions in the Western Ghats. The major findings are that climate; particularly rainfall seasonality and elevation limit tree distributions, whereas many birds and butterflies are limited by availability of habitat. She has also worked on the reproductive biology of plant species in forest fragments around the Pondicherry region. Her recent work has been on landscape ecology and genetics of Asian Elephant populations in the Western Ghats. She is actively involved in practical conservation and advocacy through networks of conservation organizations.

Dr. Rajeev Raghavan

An aquatic conservation biologist, Rajeev is known for his unending dedication for his work on the freshwater fishes of South Asia. He is the South Asia Co-Chair of the IUCN’s Freshwater Fish Specialist Group and currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, India. A prolific writer he has authored and published 170 papers and is ideally suited to guide young minds through the river of scientific writing. He has also discovered and described 21 new species, three genera (Aenigmachanna, Sahyadria, Waikhomia) and two enigmatic families (Krytoglanidae and Aenigmachannidae) of freshwater fish, and a unique new genus and species (Eurindicus bhugarbha) of blind subterranean shrimp.

Dr. A. Biju Kumar

Biju Kumar currently serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala. Served as Dean, Faculty of
Science and Director of Research, University of Kerala; Scientific Officer of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, and Principal Scientific Officer and
Member Secretary (in-charge) of Kerala State Biodiversity Board. Dr Biju is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival
Commission (SSC). Areas of research include taxonomy, invasion biology, biodiversity an ecology. Participated in committees on policy development related to the environment and biodiversity at the national and state level. Published more than 200 research papers, 25 books, and described 8 new genera and about 50 new species of aquatic organisms, and three species are named after Biju Kumar. Environmental educator and popular science writer.

Dr. LAK Singh

Dr Lala Aswini Kumar Singh, PhD is an Indian zoologist and a life-long wildlife researcher. After Post-Graduation from Utkal University, over a span of 45 years Dr Singh has delivered volumes of research-based knowledge, technique and training materials, most of which are now available online, for improving conservation and management in projects for crocodiles, tiger and elephant. Besides, his studies on Chameleon, the Kalakuta gecko and fauna in higher canopy of forest in Odisha are pathbreaking stimuli for field zoologists. Dr Singh is a Member of the IUCN/SSC Conservation Planning Specialists Group for about 35 years. In 2013 he was honoured with the Odisha state award, the Biju Patnaik Prize for Wildlife Conservation.

Dr. Neelesh Dahanukar

Teaching elementary probability theory for terrified biologists, Neelesh is a brilliant scientist whose range of repertoire includes mathematical modeling of biological systems, evolution and systematics, evolutionary game theory, taxonomy of fishes, amphibians & scorpions, and ecological statistics. As key faculty in the RHATC course, his invaluable experience both in the lab and the field will provide the students a clear perspective on how to break down complex issues into palatable scientific conservation actions. To know more about him click here <https://sites.google.com/view/neeleshdahanukar/home>

Mentors

Mentors & Resource persons

Mentors

Abhishek Jain - Magnolia Mist

Sujata Goel - Rainforest Retreat

Anurag Goel - Rainforest Retreat

Gerry Martin - The Liana Trust

Sanjay Gubbi - Holematthi Nature Foundation

H. Byju

Bhavna Vijay - The Halcyon Experience

Priya Vijay - The Halcyon Experience

Godwin Vasanth Bosco - Upstream Ecology

Makarand Datar - The Grassland Trust

S.R. Ganesh- Kalinga Trust

Vivek Pandi- - Manipal Academy for Higher Education

B Ravichandran- ZOO

Resource persons

Anna Jain - Magnolia Mist

Maya Goel - Rainforest Retreat

Rom Whittaker

Janaki Lenin

Cara Tejpal - Sanctuary Nature Foundation

Rita Banerjee - Green Hub

Nandini Velho - Mollem National Park

Marishia Rodrigues - Mollem National Park

Ashritha Anoop - Holematthi Nature Foundation

Arpitha Kohle - Holematthi Nature Foundation

Srinivasan Kasinathan - Nature Conservation Foundation

T.R. Shankar Raman - Nature Conservation Foundation

Divya Mudappa - Nature Conservation Foundation

Ganesh Raghunathan - Nature Conservation Foundation

Vishwatej Pawar - The Grassland Trust

Mihir Godbole - The Grassland Trust

Shreyas - The Grassland Trust

Prateek Joshi - The Grassland Trust

Obuli Chandran - Mango Education

Stephen Nash - Arts and Conservation

Nicolas Heard - Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

Chandini Chhabra - The Liana Trust

PO Nameer - Kerala Agriculture University

Chelmala Srinivasulu - Osmania University

Bhargavi Srinivasulu - Zooreach

N. Raveendran - Iragukal

R. Ravinesh

Anish Warrier- Manipal Academy for Higher Education

Ana RG

Gosia Arlet

Ajith Kumar - Centre for Wildlife Studies

Neha Sinha - Conservation Biologist

Topiltzin Contreras-MacBeath - University of the State Morelos, in central Mexico

Neil Cox - Biodiversity Unit, IUCN, USA

Shankar Raman - Nature Conservation Foundation

Jean-Philip - Sigur Nature Trust

Vijay Raj - The Grassland Trust

Sujata Kabaraji

Mandar Datar - Agharkar Institute

Aparna Watve - MIT, Pune

Meena Venkatraman

Aditi Mukherjee - SACON

Rajah Jayapal - SACON

Ashutosh Singh - SACON

Bhawani Sabat - SACON

Shirish Manchi - SACON

Ankit Moun - SACON

Shomita Mukherjee - SACON

Riddhika Ramesh - SACON

P.V Karunakaran - SACON

Bibhu P Panda - SACON

Ankita Bhattacharya - SACON

H.N. Kumara - SACON

Manikandan

Ravichandran - Kangeyam

Rani - Kangeyam

Ramnath - Kangeyam

Father Churchil

Tanuja

Vishal Ahuja - ZOO

R. Marimuthu - ZOO

Usha Ravindra - ZOO

Leaders

Gowri Shankar

Shweta Stotrabhashyam

Neethi Mahesh

Sachin Rai

Selva Ganesh

Trisha Gupta, Oxford University

Johnson Jament

Krithika

Aparna Krishna

Mohammed Ismail M. Rafi – Primates and Conservation

Anuja Malhotra Iravati

Majgaonkar

C.H. Gnaneshwar

Payal Mehta

Karthikeyan

Resource assistance

Lakshmi

Ravi

Shrinivas

Shravan

Malaika

Kandaswami

Jimmy

Mithun

Tejas

Sarang Bokil

Rohan Shetti

Sian

Ravi

Muthu Pandey

Naomi

Krishnendu

Lisa

Yatheesh

Nagoor Kani

Immanuel Alphonse

Geetha

Radhika

Popat Vithal Japtap

Subhash Bhadve

Mayur Salunke

Nagare and family

Ganesh

Abhishek

Prabhu

Narmada Naik

Kandasamy

Jasmine

Gita

Prema Rangachari

Allumini 2023-24

Our 30 Alumni at present ...

Alumni 2023-24

Amrin Taiba Ansari

I am a highly enthusiastic and free-spirited individual trapped in an utterly clumsy body. Belonging to a small town and a very conservative background, I have been breaking all the stereotypes since a very young age and I wish to continue doing so by fulfilling my dream of becoming a wildlife conservationist.

Aparna Lalit Mishra

I Hi, I am Aparna Lalit Mishra from Mumbai, Maharashtra. I am 23 years old studying plant sciences and understanding biodiversity and conservation. Apart from this, I read non-fiction, listen to fictional stories, and I write and draw. I am decisive and have a confident personality. I believe laughter is the best medicine and everything that happens, happens for a reason.

Arjun C.K.

I am Arjun C.K. and I come from a rural area of Kerala, where I was lucky enough to see and grow with rich biodiversity around me. My enthusiasm in learning about animals and it’s variety led me to complete my Master's in Zoology from Presidency College, Chennai. I realized my interest in wildlife conservation and evolutionary biology. I have always wanted to do something for conservation and I believe the RHATC will be one of the greatest investment in my life, which will fill the gaps in my knowledge in conservation. My hobbies include playing football, watching movies, and cooking. I love to experiment with photography and spend my free time in learning photography.

Maitreyi Hegde

I am Maitreyi Hegde, a graduate in biotechnology, and have had six years of experience in diverse roles before I ended up at IUCN Hornbill SG and Nature Conservation Foundation to work on the Asian hornbill database and the Hornbill Watch citizen science project. Being from an agriculture family in the Western Ghats and having started my own farm, I am worried of the increasing intensity of human-wildlife interactions everywhere and where it will lead us all. Aimed at co-existence, I would like to work for conservation of the species and landscapes to which I am deeply attached since my childhood. My interests are community ecology, plant science and conservation education. Besides, I love gardening, trekking, photography, and reading.

Pannaga V Bhat

I was born and brought up in the Western Ghats and I have a close connection with nature. I am passionate about forests and wildlife but never got any opportunities to learn about the practical aspects. I believe that RHATC will help me in acquiring knowledge and understanding the ground realities in the field of conservation and enhance my skills so that I can contribute something to this field that could make a difference.

Paridhi Modi

I am Paridhi Modi. My initial interest was stock markets and minting money by investing in new avenues of investment. A total shift of interest took place when I did research about the Buxwaha Forest diamond mining case study in Madhya Pradesh for a seminar presentation in environmental economics. Since then, there was no looking back to a career in the financial sector. I am a graduate in economics and my passion to learn and explore wildlife was pricked during the ATBC conference. I wish to become a environmental economist with a strong foundation in conservation. Apart from these, I like playing basketball, practicing yoga, reading novels, and traveling to new places.

Praveen Rozario J

I am Praveen Rozario. Having grown up in a fishing community with a fisherman father, I have gained firsthand knowledge of marine biodiversity and the challenges faced by coastal communities. These experiences have inspired my career in marine biology and wildlife conservation. My primary goal in collecting shark landing data for my MSc Thesis was to understand the extent of shark exploitation. This involved analyzing data to assess market demands and the valuable knowledge of fisherfolk in shark hunting. This holistic approach helped me evaluate the sustainability of shark fishing, accounting for socio-economic factors, and informing conservation decisions. Interacting with fishermen during my studies, we exchanged insights on shark biology and conservation strategies. These discussions highlighted the importance of protecting sharks and their habitats. My dream is to conserve elasmobranchs through a collaborative, scientific approach involving fisherfolk, scientists, and students.

Shivaani A

I’m Shivaani, a nature lover and about to get a degree in MSc Zoology. I have been fascinated by the animals around me since childhood and I strongly believe that it will never die. My great interests are in rescuing, re-uniting, and conserving animals; all these led me to attend a few workshops which taught me to handle snakes and identify them. Snakes are the first animals I worked with and the first step to fulfilling my dreams. My hobbies are relishing different foods, cooking, dancing, and wildlife photography.

Sanjenbam Joel Singh

Hello, I'm Sanjenbam Joel. I'm a multifaceted individual with three profound passions that shape my life. Firstly, cooking is my cherished hobby. The kitchen is where I experiment, creating flavors and dishes that nourish the soul. Secondly, I'm an enthusiastic wildlife lover, perpetually amazed by the beauty and complexity of nature. Whether observing local wildlife or trekking through untamed landscapes, I'm drawn to the outdoors. Lastly, I'm fueled by a deep passion for teaching. Guiding and inspiring others, whether in culinary arts, wildlife appreciation or secular is my purpose. I aspire to ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning in everyone I encounter.

Suraj N

I am SURAJ N. I have graduated Master's degree in Zoology from University of Mysore. I have set my goals on a PhD from one of the best universities of the world (best in terms of knowledge). I used to direct plays for school students in my free time and acted and directed short movies and comic video’s during my graduate days. I have a passion to become an actor and work for cinema. I know this is too much, but I know I will achieve it one day, sooner or later. After working as an assistant professor in Zoology for about 11 months, I moved to Thenmala, Kerala where I worked as research assistant in behavioural research, data collection, and analysis at the Macaque project. I am a hardworking and motivated individual who is eager to learn and grow. I am confident that I have the skills and abilities to succeed in the field of wildlife. I am also an excellent communicator and have a strong ability to build relationships with my teammates and the public.

Alumni 2022-23

Aishwarya S Kumar

A wonderer wondering at the wonders of wildlife! Hi, I’m Aishwarya, a post-graduate in wildlife science. I’m a wildlife enthusiast, an admirer of psychology, and an art lover who’s in the process of bringing my passions together to explore and understand the world. An advocate of multidisciplinary studies, during my Master’s I discovered conservation psychology and learnt its scope in wildlife, and thus chose it to do my internship with WWF-India and my dissertation. My core interests lie in conservation psychology, animal behavior and conservation anthropology. When not working, I can be found trying to play my favourite song on guitar, lost in music, watching animes or engulfed in the world of books. And when outdoors, staring in awe at trees, sky and wildlife. I wish to make people aware of species not generally considered ‘popular’ or ‘charismatic’ and break the superstitions around them. To achieve this, I wish to use the power of theatre and other performing arts.

Akansha Mishra

I am Akansha Mishra and I have always dreamt of being a wildlife biologist and conservationist. Being a military kid, I've always enjoyed adventure and the outdoors. I had the privilege since early childhood to be surrounded by pets in my house and frequently visited zoos and national parks. I was inspired by watching wildlife shows on Animal Planet, Discovery, National Geographic and BBC and always wanted to become a wildlife show host. However, I went abroad and pursued BBA and banking, but even with good grades, a good salary and a stable job, I could not forget wildlife. Hence I came back to India to pursue my dream in wildlife conservation and to save precious indigenous wildlife like the Ganges River Dolphin, One Horned Rhino and the Indian Pangolin and one day work under a famous nature broadcasting network. But as a first step, I'm excited to start with the course and learn about conservation. Besides my love for animals, I also enjoy Air Rifle Shooting, traveling, orating and exploring new cultures.

Kritika P

Hi, I am P. Kritika. I have done my Masters in Zoology from J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology. I have a keen interest in wildlife and enjoy studying it. Growing up in a metropolitan city I didn’t have much exposure to wildlife yet I enjoy the few encounters I used to have while visiting my native place during summer vacations. I am new in the conservation field and have yet to understand its dynamics. My favorite subjects include vertebrate physiology and anatomy, and evolutionary biology, especially the geological time scale. I love visiting hill stations and star gazing from up there. In my leisure time, I like reading thriller novels and manga (comics), baking, and sometimes painting. I am very much fond of music and going on long strolls.

Lakshmi Ravinder Nair

As we face an environmental crisis of huge proportions, I want to be closer to the solution, rather than the problem. I would like to understand the workings of the natural environment, the work that is ongoing to protect vulnerable species and habitats, and the individuals and communities behind the work. I work in a Sustainability Reporting role and I am on a personal quest to comprehend issues of sustainability from the corporate world and the natural world. My educational background is in Marketing and Communications and Finance. I enjoy new experiences, picking out clever phrases while reading, daydreaming while traveling, and having real conversations with fictional characters.

Melito Prinson Pinto

I’m Melito Prinson Pinto, a Masters in Wildlife and Management from Kuvempu University. My journey into the world of wildlife began through my interest in birds. Their diversity in colors and calls made me want to know more about them, thus creating a deep passion towards ornithology. I’m an avid birder who likes to explore the bird diversity in plantation landscapes. I’m more inclined towards bioacoustics, eager to know what each call or a song means. I have interned with Holematthi Nature Foundation on monitoring of peafowl in and around the protected areas of Karnataka. It is during this time that I learned that even the common species need monitoring. My hobbies include sketching and illustration, playing musical instruments such as piano, and playing chess. I also like to engage with children and spread awareness about birds.

Pooja Ramdas Patil

From a very young age I enjoyed being in the lap of nature, thanks to my father who used to take the family out every weekend. Every living being in nature always fascinated me and I wanted to explore wildlife. I did my Bachelor's and Master's in Zoology. Animal systematics, entomology, biodiversity, ecology, are the subjects that interest me. For me the Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation course is something huge that I can't explain in words! I am keen to overcome the knowledge gap between theory and practical work and pursue my career in the subject I love – Wildlife! My interest is in conserving endemic species, reduce human and animal conflicts in depth, tourism impact on faunal and floral diversity. My dream is to spread awareness in society and make mother Earth peaceful to live for every living being. Apart from studies I have many hobbies but most of all, I like drawing, sketching, painting, making art and crafts.

Rajib Saha

Hello, I am Rajib Saha. I was born and brought up in the Terai region of West Bengal. Here weshare our space with wildlife like elephants, leopards, gaur, snakes etc. I love nature and anything related to it be it forests, mountains and/or rivers! As I grew up I enjoyed spending my time in the forest and with the people who live around the forest area. When I was 17, I started rescuing venomous and non-venomous snakes and birds. Over4–5 years I have rescued hundreds of snakes and birds. Snake bite is a major problem in rural areas during monsoon. So, I started doing awareness sessions along with the forest department in village areas, schools and colleges. Currently, I am working in Hathi Sathi Foundation as a field assistant. Our motive is to make a safe passage for elephants in tea gardens and mitigate the human wildlife conflict within tea gardens and adjacent areas. I love to share my ideas and knowledge with others. I love cooking and traveling and I love to do wildlife photography as well.

Soham Vinita Shamkant Parnaik

I remember during my school days my dad showed me a caterpillar and told me it would turn into a butterfly. I couldn’t believe, so I brought it home. After few days it turned into pupa and then into a butterfly; it felt like magic and I became sure nature is mysterious that only reveals itself to those who care to be conscious. Now I realise my journey is like a butterfly too, wandering all around, first I did my Bachelors in Forensic Science, then completed Masters in Social Work, volunteered with different non-governmental organisations, got work experiences in field of teaching and research and currently pursuing M.A. in Animal Protection Laws, with keen interest in communicating science. Just like the butterfly has a purpose to its existence that serves its species and nature, I find meaning in my actions when I am engaged in biodiversity conservation. Building a compassionate and harmonious society is my destination.

Swaathi Na

Hello, I’m Swaathi, a graduate in Zoology from Madras University. I discovered that a career in wildlife was a real possibility towards the end of my degree course, after which I interned and volunteered in a few wildlife organisations. These experiences ignited a spark in me to work towards contributing more in the field of wildlife conservation. Going forward, I would like to carry out research in ophiology and create awareness among people for peaceful coexistence with wildlife. Apart from this, I love portrait sketching, cooking & reading historical fiction and fantasy novels.

Tandrail Baruah

Coming from a culturally- and biodiversity-rich land of Assam, which is home to the famous Kaziranga National Park – a world heritage site – and many other protected areas, people and wildlife have always been close to my heart. My love for nature led me to work with WWF India Assam and Arunachal Pradesh State Office where I helped in building conservation leadership among students by enhancing knowledge and skills to adopt pro-conservation attitudes and sustainable lifestyles. Through my work, I want to build a future where people and wildlife co-exist and wildlife corridors are secured not at the cost of infrastructural development but by adopting a sustainable development plan.

Alumni 2021-22

Aakanksha Komanduri

I have been deeply drawn to wildlife since as far back as I can remember, and have spent most of my life’s time in some way engaging with animals including insects, birds, frogs, bigger domestic and wild animals. One of my childhood dreams of getting to know, being close to snakes came true when I joined Friends of Snakes in 2017. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of my time rescuing and rehabilitating hundreds of snakes in Telangana. I have also regularly given lectures about the conservation of snakes and led snake awareness sessions for schools, corporates and national parks in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. As a volunteer with the Forest Department of Telangana, I worked in wildlife censuses across various national reserves and sanctuaries. This year, 2021, I received my post-graduation in Animal Protection Law from NALSAR. Other than that, I spent lockdown time mostly rescuing and looking after urban wildlife. While I have an awe for large creatures of the forest, I am equally interested in the worlds of smaller beings such as termites, spiders and ants. I feel great wonder about their complex and intricate lives, and their phenomenal role in the vast interdependent forest life. In the coming years, I hope to get opportunities to explore marine wildlife more closely, do some wildlife photography, and at some point, go herping in the Indonesian islands

Ashrita Anoop

Growing up in the Western Ghats, I was always fascinated by the marvels of nature. I graduated with a masters in Environment Science. During my work as research associate, I was involved in leopard research and conservation project in Southern Karnataka at Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) under the Western Ghats programme which gave me more insight into wildlife research. My keen interest is in wildlife ecology, wildlife conservation, riparian ecology and the factors influencing community’s perceptions towards protected areas. Now, I manage the community-based conservation work in the beautiful landscape of MM Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries of Southern Karnataka. It is a programme which aims in the recovery of wildlife and wild spaces in through direct community-based interventions geared to help both people and wildlife. My greatest joys are birding, documenting biodiversity, trekking, reading biographies, collecting old coins, and also spending time with family and friends.

Arpan Joshi

Hello , I am Arpan Joshi a B.com graduate . I have been passionate about wildlife since childhood. And fortunately I got to explore this field of wildlife since I was 18 . Initially I was a bird watcher then I started rescuing non-venomous Snakes then started working on vultures and then got a golden opportunity to work with Rajasthan Forest Department where I released a Leopard with them as my first task. Then I started my journey with bats where I captured them , did research in Rajasthan , Tamil Nadu and Gujrat about them. Since the very beginning of this journey of mine I have been trying to educate local people about difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes and about how harmless Bats are and have been trying to play my role in wildlife conservation. Recently I worked with Bishnoi community in Jaisalmer , Rajasthan on Chinkara and Great Indian bustard. Along with this I am a percussionist and a music teacher too and I also love to go for trekking and hiking and I love to do wildlife photography as well.

Dhanush CS

I’m Dhanush Shetty, I’ve done my bachelors in Agricultural biotechnology and a masters in Wildlife & management. During my masters, I have worked on Elephants of the coffee land: “Human elephant conflict in coffee-based agroforestry systems of Chikmagalur, Western Ghats, India” Being born in the southern western ghats and raised in the Deccan plateau, I've always been curious to know about the mysteries that nature has in its womb. I have always been inspired by and love to work with people who strive to preserve endangered species ranging from mini mammals (Gerbils) to mega mammals (Elephants). I have my interest in conservation anthropology, creative conservation, geospatial ecology, molecular ecology, behavioural ecology, science communication, nature education and #Tech4Wildlife. I enjoy birding, herping, origami, and exploring and understanding more about the ancient stone inscriptions. I love coffee, carnatic music, mythological stories, and comics. I collect commemorative coins and postage stamps. I create illustrations, microblogs, code, and map in my spare time. To know more visit dhanushshetty.com.

Nilesh Murmu

Young nature enthusiast with a master's degree in environmental science, interested in nature and wildlife conservation. I am driven by my love for the aesthetic and emotional value that nature provides and a strong belief in harmonious coexistence between human and wildlife. I am also keen on learning how to utilise remote sensing practices to help conserve ecosystems and wildlife.Besides this, my passion is playing and creating music. I have been playing drums since the age of 15 and am currently indulged in guitars.

Shweta Madgulkar

I have lived most of my life in an urban space where life is very fast-paced. But luckily my parents are avid travellers and vacations meant a trip to some of the most beautiful places in India. All these trips exposed me to different people, different cultures and different landscapes which kindled a curiosity for the myriad connections people have with everything living and non-living around them. But when I was younger, I wasn’t aware of the scope of fields such as anthropology and wildlife conservation. It’s only during my Masters’ I learnt about how vast and complex this field is. Through the course period I became interested in learning about the relationship people share with wild animals. I explored the concepts of conflict and coexistence through understanding people’s perceptions of elephants and their interactions with the giant mammal for my Masters’ dissertation project. Armed with a Master’s degree I went on to work with The Shola Trust and later Wildlife Conservation Society-India to further explore how people and wild animals adapt to exist together and the impact of such co-occurrence. When I am not working, I am trying to catch up on my favourite shows or re-reading stories by Ruskin Bond with some comfort food. I have a new found interest in stitching and embroidery now, which I would like to use for expressing conservation ideas.

Supriya Samanta

I am Supriya Samanta, a postgraduate in Zoology from Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal. I want to study the effect of climate change on various organisms. Currently I am volunteering with the Purulia Forest Department in the Ajodhya Hills to conserve this vast landscape through baseline data collection and scientific research. Some Facebook friends including me from Purulia and Bankura district of West Bengal have formed a group called ‘Green Plateau’ for conservation of biodiversity of plateau region of West Bengal. We are trying to create public awareness through a social media campaign ‘Save Ajodhya Hills’ involving every stakeholder to save this landscape with its faunal, floral, traditional diversity. Apart from this I love to travel, meet people, know their life stories and taste local food.

Trisa Bhattacharjee

Hey I'm Trisa Bhattacharjee an MSc Ecology student from Pondicherry University. I'm a wildlife enthusiast and I like studying human perceptions. I like spending my time with forest and other indigenous communities. Making Coexistence models and a database enlisting human perceptions is my ultimate aim in life. I like to study big mammals and am much scared of reptiles and amphibians. I want to someday study about the Jarawa community or the Bishnoi community and be with them. Other than this I like to debate, paint, cooking, stitching, baking and dancing. I am a National level Dancer and a State Level Debater. I can speak Hindi, Bengali, English and German. I am a socializer. Also I enjoy reading romantic and thriller novels and watching drama series.

Usha Ravindra

I am just another Harry Potter who though lived in a world of wizardry was unaware of its existence for beginning part of his life. But once he got to know about it, he was a big time fan and protector of magic. Though I lived with wildlife and am part of nature, it took me these many years to notice this world, a world of wonders, a world where common sense can lose its meaning on a lot number of occasions, a world that can freshen one’s mind with ranges of vivid blues and greens. Now, I am on my journey to explore wildlife and am yet to find out how I can contribute in conserving them through research. Understanding nature of light, how a variety of animals perceive light, (social system, foraging, migratory etc) behaviours of animals, evolution etc. are some of my keen interests. One day I would like to have my own forest, nurture it and perhaps pass it on to other muggles who at heart are nature lovers. I also want to make my own wildlife comics that are humurously responsible and also create a problems book for physics, mathematical concepts where wildlife will be used as medium for all problem statements. In my spare time, I doodle, read novels, watch (japanese animes, documentaries, swaying motion of tree branches, skies), go for nature walks and many more, but one at a time.

Vardhini Suresh

I am Vardhini Suresh. While doing my schooling in the Nilgiris I was surrounded by pristine landscapes, from lakes to forests. While I admired the beauty, I did not know and appreciate its true value until I moved to the city. While I was working at a corporate job, I realized that my true passion lies in the restoring the environment. After reading more about the current state of the environment I knew it was time for me to switch fields. I am new to this field of work. I am looking forward to learn about ecological restoration practices and about wildlife conservation. I enjoy writing, sketching landscapes and reading. I also like spending time in nature in solitude.

Vision