BHAVESH

Growing up in a village near Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, where Narmada valley meets with the Satpuda Range, provided me ample opportunities to explore the rich biodiversity of Central India. During my childhood, I was fortunate to listen to the fascinating accounts on wildlife from the elders and they really helped me to understand people’s perceptions and relationships with nature, much later.

I did my B.Sc. Forestry (Hons.) course at JNKVV Jabalpur, which provided me the right atmosphere to understand the ecological and socio-economic values of different ecosystems and, challenges associated with conservation of habitats. This also led me to take up further specialized courses like the Basic Course in Ornithology from BNHS, a certificate course on Non Timber Forest Products from TFRI, and a course in Wildlife Conservation offered on NPTEL platform. I am also a proud cadet of the NCC, holding C certificate.

With the growing conflicts in nature and ecosystem management like resource depletion, climate change, and degradation of wildlife habitats, challenges associated with wildlife conservation have increased manifold. This has kindled my interest to learn various techniques and applications in wildlife science and the principles of landscape ecology, species reintroduction and wildlife policy.

DIPIKA DAS

Having been born and brought up in the southernmost part of West Bengal, I was always very close to nature. My interest in watching wild animals and their behaviour started right at home. My mother used to show me house geckos predating on various flies, ants collaborating with each other in carrying food materials and still maintaining their lines, crows scavenging on our waste, and many other things, all of which always fascinated me. Then came the television and I was introduced to visually appealing documentaries on wild mammals, reptiles, and the gorgeous and mysterious marine world.

As I grew older, I started to show more interest in biology and took Zoology as major in my B.Sc degree from University of Calcutta. There I met some very helpful and inspiring faculty members and seniors, who were passionate about wildlife ecology and conservation; they also helped me getting proper orientation towards studying animals and introduced me to the fascinating hobby of watching birds. Having developed a keen interest in watching birds and other wild animals, I visited quite a few lakes and forests across urban, suburban and rural areas.

The prolonged nationwide lockdown, imposed to curb the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, actually made me becoming more fond of wildlife. During this time, I used to watch lots of wildlife documentaries on social media, and I was particularly fascinated by different aspects of relationship between humans and wildlife. I understand that humans are very much part of the natural ecosystems and it is impossible to conserve nature excluding humans. I also believe that increasing human-wildlife conflicts arise out of our poor understanding of the ecology and lack of knowledge on wild animals and their habitats. I hope to learn the principles and practice of wildlife ecology and management in this course, and apply the same to resolve conservation issues.

DISHA MONDAL

I hail from the suburban town of Kanchrapara in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. I have done my B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Biotechnology from St. Xavier’s College, Ranchi, where I was introduced to multiple domains encompassing genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, animal and plant physiology, human physiology, immunology, genomics and proteomics, and various bio-analytical tools.

But having been born and brought up in the largest riverine delta of the world that hosts the unique mangrove ecosystems of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, I was always intrigued by the idea of the earth, which nurtures and sustains a great diversity of life and ecosystems, both interacting in a such way that they maintain a unique ecological balance. And it also saddens me how humans, through their thoughtless activities and incessant exploitation, continue to destroy the natural habitats and our own livelihoods. This has nudged me to pursue higher studies in wildlife ecology and conservation for a better understanding of the issues and solutions. And during my under-graduation in Ranchi, I was able to visit various landscapes and habitats, and appreciate their value for biodiversity and  ecosystem functions.

I am interested in studying mammal behaviour and ecology, and I am also keen to learn and apply advanced molecular and genetic tools in biodiversity conservation

KEERTHANA M

I am a person with multiple interests, which I would always liken with rain – drizzling, pouring, creating, destroying and sometimes doing all these at once; amusingly in perfect sync with current climate scenario – more chaotic, very unpredictable and dramatically sudden as the years move on. But my curiosity and awe of nature, wildlife, and the ecosystems always underlie the various interests and mantles that I wear. I love working on, with and for it.

I can’t exactly recall whether my fascination with nature started with cartoons, documentaries, books, or stories, but it stuck with me forever. During the four years of my B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in agriculture, I was introduced to a seemingly unconnected range of subjects – from analytical chemistry, soil science, agronomy, entomology, crop physiology, livestock science, economics, agricultural extension, to social psychology and rural sociology! But now I realize that these subjects are not as disconnected as I thought; they, in fact, are key to the interdisciplinary approach to studying and understanding our environment being shared by humans and other living beings.

The strange combination of my perpetual excitement to learn more of our environment and the calmness that I derive from observing the nature and its myriad forms of life made my resolve to take up further studies in wildlife science and ecology. Besides my interest in nature, I am also passionate about science communication in vernacular language – the best way to take science to the people.

PRADEESHWAR R J

I was born and brought up in Avadi, a suburb of the Metropolitan Area of Greater Chennai in Tamil Nadu. I completed my Bachelor’s in Physics from Madras University. Though my under-graduation was in a non-biological subject, I was hooked to nature and wildlife when I procured a camera and started observing trees, flowers, birds, butterflies, and their habitats more closely. Around this time, I also developed my fascination for birdwatching.

My interest and curiosity in birding led me to take up an online course in Basic Ornithology offered on NPTEL platform.  This course opened up the wonderful vistas of the world or ornithology to me, and I decided to pursue a more formal course in the field. My primary interests are avian bioacoustics, bird behaviour, community ecology and wetland ecology. My hobbies include cubing and solving puzzles, digital illustration, bird photography, travelling, trekking, and butterfly watching.

PRAJJWAL KUMAR

I hail from Nalanda – the Land of Knowledge in Bihar. My passion for wildlife studies was rooted in my curiosity in understanding the novelty of interactions among species – that take different forms like predation, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.  The challenge of finding solutions for complex problems has always intrigued me, and I naturally started looking up to technology for issues in wildlife ecology and management. Using the latest non-invasive technologies for better understanding of wildlife distribution and behavior fascinates me.

After my B.Sc. degree in Botany, I joined M.Sc. Ecology and Environment Studies at Nalanda University, where I got introduced to adopting an interdisciplinary approach towards environmental management and sustainability. My PG dissertation under the guidance of Dr. Shyam S Phartyal, “Detection of arboreal faunal diversity using camera traps” made me realize the usefulness of non-invasive techniques in understanding the behaviour of lesser-known taxa. In addition, and my internship with Dr. Kishore Dhawala in assessing the potential of renewable energy on Nalanda University Campus, gave me a lot of hands-on experience in studying environmental issues.

I have now enrolled for my second PG degree with SACON and CUTN, as I wish to receive advanced training in wildlife sciences and to learn more of state-of-the-art techniques applicable to natural resource management and ecology.

SIDDHI SUNIL DAMLE

I still remember the awe and wonder that struck me – a child then, when my grandfather showed me a pair of brilliantly coloured Black-hooded Orioles. My unbounded appreciation for all things wild perhaps started thereafter. And growing up in a verdant and picturesque town like Chiplun at the foot of the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra further nurtured my passion for nature and outdoor ventures.

I completed my graduation in Zoology from Fergusson College, Pune, where I learnt the fundamentals of life sciences. Subsequently, a few wonderful internships and volunteering opportunities helped me to get a ringside view of how wildlife research and conservation studies are designed and conducted; these included GIB recovery project at Wildlife Institute of India (WII), study on the anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity and mutualistic interactions at Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), the human-wildlife coexistence project at Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), and the Anubhuti project of the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. And my professional association  with the Planet Earth Foundation (PEF) also contributed to my passion for nature conservation.

I am keenly interested in studying behavioral ecology and human-wildlife interactions. Apart from wildlife studies, my other interests include making wildlife illustrations, traveling, and singing.

SRINIDHI SRIDHAR

When I was six years old, my father bought me a boxed set of ‘Life’, the British nature documentary series by BBC. For the next few years, I would invariably fall asleep to the soothing tones of David Attenborough. This was my first introduction to the beautiful world of wildlife and their habitats and ecosystems. This also started my lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation. I began watching birds and insects around my house. I would see these birds calling out to each other and kept trying to figure out what they were communicating. I would hear squirrels giving out alarm squeaks on seeing a cat on the compound wall. I could also see spiders in the corners of my home, and they would sometimes lose balance and fall on my desk as I was studying. As I grew older, I also became restless wanting to explore nature further away. Living in a metropolitan city like Chennai, my options for observing wildlife were limited to pockets of greeneries in and around the city, such as small bird sanctuaries, wooded gardens, and zoos. My search for outdoor exploration led me to the Madras Crocodile Bank, which quickly became my favorite place and set me on a path towards herpetology.

To further my knowledge of reptile biology, I took the STORM Certification Course conducted by the Kalinga Center for Rainforest Ecology, where we were taught by herpetologist Gowri Shankar; this course gave me immense insights into ecology and conservation of snakes. I also learnt to handle snakes, as well as how to manage onlookers when a snake is found in or near human dwellings.

As part of my career, I wish to focus on prevention of human-snake conflicts in urban and rural areas. A vast majority of human-snake encounters end in wanton death of snakes, while hundreds of humans are accidentally killed by snakebites every year in India. I want to educate people on the important roles that snakes play in our ecosystems and on prevention of negative interactions between humans and snakes particularly in human-dominated landscapes.

SUDHANVA JAHAGIRDAR

I was born and brought up in Raichur, Karnataka – a beautiful region swaddled by two grand rivers of the peninsular India, viz. Tungabhadra and Krishna, and blessed with an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, particularly birds. My interest and passion for birds and ornithology was perhaps imprinted in me, when we read a chapter about Sálim Ali in our 4th grade textbook in the school.

I did my B.Sc. degree in Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Zoology from Christ University in Bengaluru, where I joined the Green Army – a student movement for conservation of nature. In Green Army, we conducted regular surveys of birds, spiders, butterflies, moths, etc. on the campus and also in and around the city. During these surveys, I met a lot of nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers, who helped me polish my birdwatching skills; my zoology professor Dr. P.U. Antony encouraged me to take my birding hobby as a serious pursuit and consider a research career in ornithology. So, I took the Basic Course in Ornithology offered online on NPTEL platform during my final year at the university; this course taught me the fundamentals of the science of ornithology. I also volunteered for a two-day workshop on bird species diversity, hosted by ATREE, where we conducted awareness camps on birds and their importance in the ecosystem, for the students of government schools in Manvi and Lingasugur towns in Karnataka.

Personally speaking, joining SACON for the PG course in ornithology is a dream-come-true moment for me as I have always been aspiring to study at SACON since my school days. And I really want to use this opportunity to build my career as an ornithologist and work towards bird conservation and ecology. In particular, I have a fascination for studying avian bioacoustics and community ecology.

I was born in Nagpur-The Tiger Capital of India. With about 8 Tiger Reserves, 4 National Parks and 17 Wildlife Sanctuaries around my city, I developed an admiration for wildlife at a very young age. I completed my Bachelors in Life Sciences from Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University. I started my volunteering work with WWF. I’ve volunteered with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) on two projects; one was a study on behavioural ecology of Asiatic Wild Dogs and the other was a landscape level survey of the Great Indian Bustard. I was also a volunteer with National Centre for Biological Sciences(NCBS) for a project on Genetic Connectivity of Ungulates and Small Carnivores in Central Indian Landscape. My main area of interest is animal behaviour and ecology. And I also have a particular interest in vegetation sciences. Since I grew up visiting the forests of central India, I want to work towards conservation of these forests in future.

An interest and curiosity towards wildlife and nature were inculcated in me since my childhood as I often used to visit the countryside accompanied by my grandmother. I was born and brought up in Pune. I completed my Bachelors in Science (Honors) from Azim Premji University in Bangalore. This is when my interest and curiosity towards wildlife got a form and structure and my mentor Dr. Shomen Mukherjee has been the biggest source of my inspiration. In 2016, I conducted a mesocosm experiment on the effect of Acacia and Eucalyptus leaf litter on life history traits of Microhyla ornata tadpoles. I presented my study at SCCS (2017) and YETI (2018) conferences. For my honors, I looked at the effect of the different amounts of Eucalyptus leaf litter. I worked with Divya Uma on the effect of predatory cues on the phototactic index of Daphnia spp. I interned with Dr. Abi Tamim Vanak (ATREE) on his project on ‘Adaptation of Mesocarnivores to Human-Modified Landscapes’ in 2016. In 2018, I interned with Dr. S. Sathyakumar of WII on a project which looked at the mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts. Apart from this, I did volunteer with rescue of snakes for 3 years in the peri-urban area of Bangalore.

I have a keen interest in ecology, evolution and conservation biology. I am very interested in understanding how environment shapes life-history parameters of a species and how a species alters its environment. Questions addressing such interactions in terms of behaviour, morphology and physiology fascinate me. Conceptual interests aside, I would actually like to apply my research findings to find solutions to habitat and species management issues on the ground, as I believe that conservation should be based on sound science.

I was born and brought up in the rural area of Konkan, Maharashtra. Naturally most of my childhood was spent wandering aimlessly in the forest. I completed my graduation in forestry during which I, along with my classmates started a bird-watching group out of our interest towards birds and field ornithology. In due course I participated in the Volunteer Patrolling Programme arranged by Maharashtra Forest Department at Bhimashankar WLS. I also volunteered for a study on genetic connectivity of ungulates in the Central Indian Landscape under Mr. Abhinav Tyagi, PhD student of Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan, NCBS.

I am interested to study different aspects of natural history, ornithology, wildlife biology, ecology and evolution during this course. I wish to conduct research on these subjects and contribute efficiently for conserving the flora and fauna of the nation. I also would like to work in public outreach and conservation education programmes.

My main pastime includes travelling to different landscapes, trekking and explorations, watching wildlife documentaries and wildlife photography. I am a sea swimmer and I also love to play water-polo and badminton.

The first seed of environmental consciousness was sown in me with the introduction of environmental education in 5^th standard. I did my BSc in Christ University, Bangalore where I joined Green Army, a student movement for nature conservation. Apart from conducting regular biodiversity studies and awareness programmes, we published books on bird and butterfly diversity of the campus and started restoration work of a local lake. To strengthen the footing that Green Army provided, I attended a workshop on rainforest ecology during my vacation, and volunteered for projects on human-leopard conflict, ant-bird interaction across elevational gradient and biogeography of wetland birds. In order to attain a holistic understanding of conservation and ecology, I took a year off and worked on various field projects that involved study of East Kolkata Wetlands, Fishing Cat, Human-Wildlife Interaction and Marine biology. My primary interest lies in human-animal interactions and finding sustainable solutions to rising conflicts.

I owe my interest towards birds to a couple of seniors and my alma mater the Madras Christian College (MCC) itself which is situated inside a scrub jungle. Birdwatching is something I really enjoy, which sort of drew me towards the field of wildlife ecology and conservation. Since I wanted to contribute to research, I volunteered for a WCS project in Tungareshwar WS, camera-trapping for leopards and did occupancy surveys and call recordings for the Forest Owlet Athene blewitti in Melghat Tiger Reserve for WRCS. I enjoyed and found myself very interested in both these experiences, which motivated me to make my career in this field. I also interned at the Chennai Snake Park and conducted a behavioural study of captive Gharials Gavialis gangeticus to get a feel of doing my own research. Although I’ve had experiences with a couple of taxa, birds will always be special for me since they were the start of this very serious interest of mine. For this reason, I’m sure SACON and my current course are the best fit for me. I have a particular fascination towards polymorphism and acoustics in birds – particularly owls, which I hope to work on later in my career. Apart from this, I’m interested in science communication and theatre and I am also learning German at the moment.

I got introduced to nature and natural beings by my father,a keen naturalist and my mother, an animal lover. With their support and encouragement, I went on to do my Bachelor’s degree in forestry during which I also completed one-year online Basic Course in Ornithology offered by  BNHS. My selection for the Winter School in Ecology and Evolution at IISER, Mohali introduced me to the fundamentals of biological research and experimentation. I was awarded the best presentation award at a National Seminar on Wetlands at Christ University, Bengaluru where I presented the findings of a preliminary study on wintering shorebirds in Dapoli taluka. I have volunteered for a project on the genetic connectivity of ungulates in the Central Indian Landscape with Mr. Abhinav Tyagi, a PhD student under Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan, NCBS, Bengaluru.  I also volunteered with the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) on their camera- trapping project in Melghat Tiger Reserve. My areas of interest include Ornithology, Biogeography, Paleoecology and Evolutionary Biology. Apart from academics, I also indulge in classical music, reading, photography and sports.

Being brought up in Coimbatore surrounded by the Western Ghats, I have been fascinated by the natural world since my childhood. The earliest memories I have were visiting Topslip (Indira Gandhi National Park) as a kid, thanks to my parents who decided to spend many weekends there. My fascination led me to begin exploring forests using every opportunity that came my way –trekking expeditions, wildlife census, birding, butterfly-watching, insect photography and public outreach. Eventually I joined as a member of the Salim Ali Naturalists Forum – an initiative of the SACON’s Nature Education Programme. With increasing exposure to conservation issues, research projects and interaction with ecologists, my enthusiasm for wildlife and forests naturally graduated to ecological research. I developed an avid interest in bats during my school days and that fascination I had with them continues to this day! The choice of dedicating my life to the study of ecology and natural history was thus a natural transition, I went on to get my Bachelor’s in Zoology From PSG college. My current research interests lie in understanding bat diversity, behavioural ecologyand biogeography.

In spite of a city upbringing, my fascination with the natural world began at a very young age thanks to a lot of hand-holding and guidance from seniors in the field, Gerald Durrel’s books and summer vacations spent travelling to wilderness areas across the country. Birdwatching became my favourite pastime since 2009, the year of my first bird survey at Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. During my Bachelors degree course, I became interested in butterflies and “butterflying” became my second favourite pastime. Subsequently, I got opportunities to take part in various  bird/butterfly/mammal surveys and they immensely helped me to gain first-hand exposure to nature and its myriad ways of functioning. I also interned at ZSI- Marine Biology Regional Centre, volunteered with the SSTCN (turtle conservation) and joined as a Docent at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. My internship with BNHS at the Bird Migration Study Centre, Point Calimere and the Bird Ringing Project at Lake Chilika, Orissa after my graduation propelled me in the right direction to join the inaugural Masters course at SACON. My other hobbies are photography, reading, and playing piano. My research interests lie in the field of natural history, ecology and evolution with focus on birds, herpetofauna and arthropods.

I happened to discover my interest in wildlife during my Bachelor’s degree at Christ University, Bangalore. At the university, I found like-minded peers with whom I spent hours observing and documenting birds and butterflies across green spaces within the campus and also the city. As my interest piqued, I used my summer breaks to volunteer for line transect surveys conducted by Centre for Wildlife Studies to estimate ungulate populations in the Western Ghats. After I graduated, I joined CWS as a research assistant and worked on population estimation of large carnivores and their prey using camera trap, line transect and occupancy data. I also took some time off to volunteer for a behavioural study on elucidating the social structure and reproductive strategies of Central Himalayan Langurs. More recently, I worked under Dr. Divya Vasudev on a social survey based study investigating the effects of NTFP collection on Lion-tailed Macaques across the Western Ghats. Among various things, animal behaviour specifically interests me and I would like to study species’ responses to changes in their environment and work towards the conservation of these species.