5. Project Assemblage: Conservation at the Margins of Forest and Society

Focus: Human-Wolf Coexistence and Multispecies Life in Central India

Duration: 2021–Present

Location: Central India

Affiliation: PhD Dissertation Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

This project bridges ecology and anthropology to examine how humans and wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) share space in a rewilding landscape. It explores how caste, conservation policy, and local coexistence practices shape multispecies life at the margins of the forest and society.

Role & Skills:

• Designed and led an interdisciplinary doctoral project integrating ethnographic fieldwork, participatory mapping, and ecological monitoring.

• Developed expertise in community engagement, qualitative interviews, and multispecies ethnography.

• Gained proficiency in spatial data analysis (GIS), camera trap deployment, and social–ecological synthesis.

• Strengthened cross-cultural communication, conflict sensitivity, and collaborative conservation facilitation with local communities and forest officials.

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4. The Nilgai Project: Urban Fauna & Symbolic Ecology

Focus: Representations of the Nilgai in Urban and Agricultural Landscapes

Duration: Jan 2017 – Present

Location: Delhi, India

Affiliation: Independent Research

This ongoing project investigates the diverse representations and ecological status of the Nilgai or the Blue Bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus) as a large-bodied mammal interacting with human settlements. It explores the species' symbolic and material significance across India's rapidly changing urban and peri-urban environments.​​

​​​​Role & Skills:

• Conducted long-term independent ethnographic and ecological observations in urban–rural interfaces.

• Acquired skills in multispecies ethnography, discourse analysis, and representation studies.

• Developed analytical frameworks for understanding human–animal symbolism, moral ecologies, and urban wildlife governance.

• Strengthened independent research design and interdisciplinary writing for public and academic audiences.

 

3. Landscape Management Planning Project, Central India

Focus: Development of a Landscape Management Plan and Monitoring for the Ken-Betwa River Link Project

Duration: June 2018 – June 2021

Location: Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, Central India

Affiliation: Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

This project focused on developing a comprehensive Landscape Management Plan and an associated monitoring framework specifically to address the ecological impacts of the Ken-Betwa River Link Project on the Panna Tiger Reserve. The work was crucial for mitigating the effects of infrastructure development on the reserve's biodiversity and hydrology.

Media Reference: https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1830540

Role & Skills:

• Served as an interdisciplinary researcher responsible for social surveys, stakeholder interviews, and spatial mapping.

• Acquired technical skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

• Led the Community Engagement Plan and significantly contributed to the Integrated Landscape Management Plan for the Greater Panna Landscape in Central India. Find the summary of the plan here: here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1830540

• Learned to navigate bureaucratic processes and policy dialogues with government agencies.

• Gained project coordination experience, integrating conservation science with infrastructure impact assessment.​​​​​​​

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2. Wetland Restoration Project, Delhi, India

Focus: Ecological Restoration of Wetlands in the Delhi Region

Duration: 2016 – 2018

Location: Delhi, India

Affiliation: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi, Centre for Urban Ecology & Sustainability (CUES)

This initiative involved hands-on research and planning for the ecological restoration of key wetlands within Delhi. The project aimed to enhance the resilience and biodiversity of these vital urban hydrological features, contributing to the broader goal of urban ecological sustainability.

Role & Skills:

• Participated in baseline ecological assessments and community consultations for restoration planning.

• Gained field skills in vegetation monitoring, hydrological mapping, and biodiversity indexing.

• Strengthened collaboration skills across academic, municipal, and local governance actors.

• Developed an understanding of urban ecological systems and policy frameworks.

• Wrote multiple blog posts based on my experience in the field: https://cuesonline.org/blog/?preview=true

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1. High-Altitude Human Ecology: The Kiang-Changpa Interactions in Ladakh

Focus: Habitat-Use Interactions between the Kiang and the Changpa Pastoralists

Duration: 2015 – 2018

Location: Tsokar Basin, Ladakh, India

Affiliation: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi

This research originated as a Master's Thesis project (2015-2016) and continues as an extended engagement with the region's wildlife dynamics. It specifically examines the habitat-use overlap and interaction patterns between the Kiang (Equus kiang), a wild ass, and the semi-nomadic Changpa community in the high-altitude Tsokar Basin.​

Role & Skills:

• Conducted independent fieldwork in high-altitude environments using ecological and ethnographic approaches.

• Learned wildlife survey techniques, participatory observation, and traditional ecological knowledge documentation.

• Developed adaptability to extreme field conditions and cross-cultural engagement with pastoralist communities.

• Strengthened interdisciplinary analysis linking pastoral livelihoods, wildlife ecology, and environmental change.

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