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Harsha Jayaramaiah

Harsha Jayaramaiah is a seasoned naturalist and wildlife tour leader who began his journey rescuing urban wildlife in Bangalore. After working with Sanctuary Asia’s Kids for Tigers and as a naturalist in South and Central India, he went on to lead wildlife tours across Asia, Africa, and South America. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he co-developed India’s first free online nature guide training program with the Nature Conservation Foundation.

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Dr.Ravi Chellam

Dr. Ravi Chellam is a veteran Indian wildlife biologist with over four decades of experience. His Ph.D. focused on Asiatic lions in Gir, and he has since played a key role in lion conservation, including the Supreme Court–mandated Kuno translocation. He has held leadership roles at WII, UNDP, ATREE, WCS–India, and more. Currently CEO of Metastring Foundation and co-ordinator of the Biodiversity Collaborative, he champions evidence-based conservation and contributes to national debates on forest rights, biodiversity, and ecological security.

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Payal Mehta

Payal Mehta is a naturalist, wildlife tour leader, and educator with a background in geology, mountaineering, and communication. After training at Kanha’s Taj Safaris lodge, she led tours across South Asia and began developing nature guide programs with local communities. She co-founded the Nature Guides Academy and has also authored nature education materials for children and park visitors.

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Romulus Whitaker

Romulus Whitaker, the “Snake Man of India,” is an American-born Indian herpetologist and conservationist. He founded the Madras Snake Park, Crocodile Bank, and Irula Snake Catchers’ Cooperative, revolutionising reptile conservation and antivenom production in India. Trained at the Miami Serpentarium, he raised awareness about snakebite prevention and helped breed endangered reptiles. His Emmy-winning film The King and I and awards like the Whitley, Rolex, and Padma Shri mark his legacy. Rom continues to promote education, human-wildlife coexistence, and is authoring a three-volume autobiography.

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Sudhir Shivaram

Sudhir Shivaram is one of India’s leading wildlife photographers and photography educators. An engineer by training, he discovered his passion for wildlife photography in 1993 while studying in Karnataka and later left a successful corporate career at HP and Schneider to pursue it full-time. Named Sanctuary Asia’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2012 and recipient of the National Geographic Yellow Border Award in 2013, Sudhir is also known for pioneering online photography education in India.

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Dr Aparajita Dutta

Dr. Aparajita Datta is a wildlife ecologist who has spent over two decades studying and conserving hornbills in the rainforests of Arunachal Pradesh. She leads the Eastern Himalaya programme at the Nature Conservation Foundation, where her research has revealed the critical role hornbills play as seed dispersers in forest ecosystems. Aparajita has pioneered long-term monitoring of hornbill nesting, frugivory, and tree phenology, and worked closely with Indigenous communities to protect hornbill habitats through education, alternative livelihoods, and initiatives like the Hornbill Nest Adoption Program.

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Dr. Vidya Athreya

Dr. Vidya Athreya, Director at WCS–India, is a wildlife biologist whose work bridges large cat ecology and the socio-cultural dimensions of human–wildlife coexistence. A member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and the SSC Human–Wildlife Conflict Group, she has collaborated closely with state Forest Departments and media to shape national policies on human–leopard conflict. Her research has deepened understanding of large carnivores outside Protected Areas. Vidya’s contributions have earned her the Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award (2011), TN Khoshoo Memorial Award (2012), and Maharana Udai Singh Award (2013).

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