An Artist & Photographer, Mr.Ranjan De is the ‘driving force’ behind the Creative ethos that binds WildRoots. Also a Designer and Concept Art for Ad Films and Commercial, he was associated with the Govt. College of Art & Craft, Kolkata and University of Calcutta for over 35 years.
Vice President of our organization, Mr.De inspires us with his master clicks and encourages young wildlife photographers to observe nature and its bounties with the ‘naked eye’, before even touching the camera. ‘Art in Conservation’- a Concept which is realized by us through our project, was envisioned by him.
Advisor and Honorary Mentor
WildRoots is proud to have Col.(Retd.) Shakti Ranjan Banerjee, as an Advisor and the Honorary Mentor!
Being in the Indian Army, he had served in various areas such as North East India, J & K, Punjab, Haryana & Rajasthan. He is presently associated with WildLife Protection Society of India, as the Honorary Director and Advisor to Vivada Cruises, Sunderbans, where he used to be as the Manager of Tourism and Naturalist. He was also the State Director for World Wide Fund For Nature - WWF, West Bengal, India, was a member of the Wildlife Advisory Board, Govt of West Bengal for about 8 years and the Honorary Wildlife Warden, Kolkata & Darjeeling for 15 years. Col. Banerjee, recollects many stories while mentoring and guiding us in various small and big Environmental Awareness efforts. While being posted at Nagaland, India (while he was serving in the Army) he had saved three Himalayan Black Bears and brought them up. Later, he had handed them over to the Delhi Zoo on 23 June 1976. Also, during Rajasthan tenure, he had worked closely with the 'Bishnois' in protection of Black Bucks and was awarded the prestigious - All India Jeev Raksha Bisnoi Sabha with a commendation card and a Silver medal. He was instrumental in starting the 'Ecological Cell' of the Indian Army and wrote a handbook on protection of wildlife and nature for the benefit of the Army personnel.
Secretary, WildRoots, India
I confess (with all my heart) that birding gets my heart throbbing like nothing else. So be it the unfamiliar call of a bird which I hear at a random bus-stop, a small bird zooming past me, and the birder in me wanting to follow it ( even though he knows it may turn out to be a sparrow ), a completely new bird ( lifer, in birding terminology ) showing off its plumage right in front of me, while I drool away at the sight of it, or even ( funnily enough! ) my parents or, on recent occasions, my friends, trying to wake me up from sleep by shouting, ” there’s a bird perched outside the verenda!”, and me waking up and running outside like a bullet out of a pistol, all these get my heart throbbing, and I must say, that I absolutely love the feeling.
Content Developer & Life Member, WildRoots, India
A true conservationist at heart, Aishwarya had won Sanctuaryasia's "Young Naturalist Award" in the year 2011. She is a poet and had written many poems and articles on nature and wildlife, which have been published in many leading newspapers and wildlife magazines. She conducts nature trails for students to spread the message of conservation and awareness. She has ventured into wildlife photography very recently, but some of her photographs have already been showcased and various exhibitions. She is also keen on making WildLife Documentary Films and her film "The Jewel of Vidharbha" was selected among the topmost films at the 14th International Film Festival in Pune under the MTDC section. She is our content developer and has been granted Life Membership to WildRoots.
Her Conservation Agenda - As a student my biggest contribution towards conservation is to create awareness in the minds of the younger generation around me. Through awareness people would gain knowledge and with knowledge would come the inspiration for action. I hope to set the wheel rolling for a greener future through my writings.
Student Member, Mentor, WildRoots, India
"In every walk with Nature one receives far more then he seeks" ~ John Muir
Violina Das is currently doing her BA in Political Science from Ramjas College, University of Delhi.
As she says - 'Nature have never failed to mesmerize me. It's beauty always brings delight to my heart. I love to sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon the flourishing garden, the hills, the lakes and all it's beautiful creatures, in North East India. But it seems Nature have been depleting day by day. Each day we come to hear of many and new environmental problems taking place all over the world like deforestation, habitat loss, overfishing, plastic pollution, issues with dams, land use and many more. The most important discussion that should take place now is between the developing and the developed nations and not just debate upon who is most responsible for the depletion of the natural bounties, but who should take it up more seriously, responsibility and should be spreading awareness.' We are proud to have her with us!
Member, WildRoots, India
Student of Architecture, Subhankar’s main interest is Environmental Design. He is a Nature Photography enthusiast and an active member of WildRoots, India. He is also interested in designing butterfly and pollinator gardens that form an important part in the Urban Species Conservation drive that was initiated during the year 2014 with support from Earth Day Network, India.
“With WildRoots I learn each day…each moment! The weekend hikes and field trips organized by the organization have given me an opportunity to explore and understand the flora and fauna in and around the city more closely. Being a student of Architecture, I like to know more about the use of Sustainable Building Materials and find out ways in which I can incorporate in my designs for conservation.”
Student Member & Mentor, WildRoots, India
Vishruth is a twenty-one-year-old amateur wildlife photographer and wildlife enthusiast. Currently pursuing his engineering, his passion for photography
has made him an avid traveler, constantly on the lookout for new experiences with a focus on creating images with unique perspectives. Being a Photo Mentor at his Alma-mater - Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Bangalore gave him an opportunity to teach Photography
and mentor students curate a first of it’s kind Coffee Table book. A keen eye for detail has won many laurels including, Winner - Saevus Youth 4 Clicks 2019, Sanctuary Asia Young Wildlife Photographer- 2017, Remarkable Award - Under 20 Category at the Siena
International Photography Awards 2017- Italy.
His Words - "Instilling a sense of pride among the youth by showcasing the vibrant biodiversity hidden in our land, I believe this emotional bond will drive the youth towards conserving nature and wildlife habitats for future generations and starting early gives us an edge to utilize the energy and power of youth towards conservation"
Member & Curriculum Designer, WildRoots, India
A Biology and Environment Science Educator, Ruchi Rai Sharma is a member and Curriculum Designer of WildRoots, India. She has the zeal to develop new methods of imparting knowledge and connecting to the youth that not only helps in building the concepts but also provides an opportunity for them to relate with their environment and their surroundings. She has done her Masters in Zoology and is the recipient of Global Teacher Accreditation Award from the British Council for “Implementing Peer Education in the field of generating awareness for conservation of biodiversity among the school going children”. She has done her specialization in Entomology and has also published a research paper on “Studies on Some Insects (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of Forensic Importance with Reference to Their Role in Estimating Post Mortem Interval (PMI) on Different Flesh Samples”, Annals of Forestry, 14(1):74-82.
Member & Curriculum Designer, WildRoots, India
Sarbari Karmakar is presently working in Sri Aurobindo Institute of Education, Salt Lake, Kolkata, West Bengal for about 9 years as a Biology & Environmental Science teacher. She did her Masters in Botany from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal. She shares her experiences during the University years - 'We had local and long excursions. During those excursions, we not only learned how to collect and preserve different plant specimens, but also how to conserve them. Particularly during our long excursions, we were taught that some specimens were becoming rare so we should not destroy them in their natural habitat. That was the first time I was introduced towards preservation of our Ecosystem'. While going through the curriculum of Environmental Science, she came to know about many of the problems and dangers our environment is going through and had started reading articles on conservation and Global Issues like Climate Change, and the various ways the flora and fauna are destroyed. It was during her professional courses, that she realized, that guiding the pupils only within the classroom situation is not enough. They need to come out of the classes and experience some real-life situations. 'My subject gives me ample scope to do that, and being a part of WildRoots, I am looking forward for more such opportunities.' WildRoots welcomes her to be a part of our Task-Force of Students and Teachers.
Education Mentor and Aquascape Trainer
WildRoots is proud to Welcome Mr.Gautam Gupta as an Education Mentor and Resource Provider for our small initiatives with Aquascaping and Aquatic Habitat Study. Mr.Gupta has already been an important addition to the Citizen Science Programme which we are executing with some Schools and Colleges in India, and has been able to introduce the students to a very new concept of study and exploration. With his vision of letting people enjoy a 'living piece of nature' every day or for kids to learn the wonders of an ecosystem right in front of their eyes, he decided to form his own company for 'Aquascaping', in the year 2010. He and his team want to promote ethical fish keeping and to bring urban dwellers close to nature. He is inspired by, and often recall Takashi Amano’s words, “To know Mother Nature is to love her smallest creations". His Ideas would help us recreate the 'natural eco-system' in aquarium, terrariums, vivariums and paludariums which would lead to a better understanding of the "global environment” and would motivate all to carry on with a mission of 'Conservation'.
Founder President, WildRoots, India
Designer and Educationist by profession & 'Conservationist at Heart', Biswajit has won the - 'Global Teacher Accreditation Award (GTA)' from the British Council and Cambridge Education Foundation in 2014, and the National Award from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, India - during the year 2019, designated as an 'Inspiring Climate Educator & Community Service Leader'. The GTA Accreditation gave him the opportunity to integrate Climate, Environment & Biodiversity Awareness within the existing curriculum of Indian Schools. He is currently undergoing his research on Sustainable Design, Bio-Mimicry & Nature-based Design and is also a National Geographic Certified Educator, a member of the IUCN-CEC, leading WildRoots-India as the Founder President.
His Conservation Agenda - I am an Eager-Learner who learns each day from the wonderful people mentioned above. Conservation to me comes by choice...as a responsibility which was inspired by many people whom I have met in my life. I intend to use my Core-Skills in Art & Design to spread the awareness, as they are powerful media to reach out to the young minds. The sole aim of WildRoots is to inspire and encourage people to make this world a better place for not only the humans..but also the other lives that surges on this planet. The team of WildRoots is small...and it will remain small, with only people who strive to make a difference in their lives, work silently with a vision to conserve, and most importantly, keep the avenues of learning more...open!
Student Executive Members
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Programme Designer
As human beings, we have immense capabilities of consuming great knowledge. But we can never move too far if that is not put into action! – With this motto in life I try to nurture my love for Nature in every possible opportunity. I have always believed that it is equally important to communicate what I learn to the masses, especially the upcoming generations; and WildRoots has taught me the best way to do it - through our own creativity. As a student of Botany, my curiosity behind what happens in the life of a plant has driven me to choose a path of exploring various ways to improve the quality of life by striking a scientific balance between humans and Nature. Sensitizing the importance of conservation and promoting the necessity of immediate action against Climate Change, for the sustainability of every single life source on Earth, from microbe cells to human brains – I consider as an important responsibility.
Currently a Ph.D. student in Cell and Molecular Biology and Graduate Teaching Assistant at The University of Alabama, USA.
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Programme Designer
I am Aindri Mukherjee from Kolkata, West Bengal. I graduated in Botany, and, I love writing and making Music . Being a Botany graduate, I have had the opportunity to study plants and understand that they are so similar to us. It has brought me closer to nature. Being out in nature is like therapy & a huge grounding force. It also inspires a lot of my creativity that I am able to pour into my music. I believe we are a part of the big family of Mother Nature. And it has been nurturing us and all other beings. It's our duty and pleasure to take care & conserve nature and its naturals. Every little step we take towards conservation, can add up to have a big impact on our planet ! It's high time that we do our part right?
Our approach towards Environmental Awareness and Conservation got a bit more Musical, after she joined. Currently a Student pursuing her Master's in Botany at Ballygunge Science College, Calcutta University, West Bengal, India.
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Social Media Manager
Being a student of Environmental Sciences and Botany, I have always shown interest in Nature, Biodiversity, Wildlife Conservation, Climate Change and Environment related aspects. Since childhood I have travelled to many places across India which gave me the opportunity to admire the beauty of Mother Nature in its various forms. I have realised that human beings are an integral part of it. The knowledge, I gained through my academic degree and various additional courses are a part of my interests to have a better understanding of the ecosystem we thrive in. This indeed helps me to serve Mother Nature in the best way possible. I am a self-motivated, enthusiastic person with tons of energy to accept challenges. WildRoots for me is a pathway to ‘Set Free’ and explore the world of wilderness, adventure, which comes along with much greater responsibilities to conserve what we have or what we are left with. WildRoots plays a major role in my life through guidance, support and knowledge. It gradually directs me to progress to become a Soldier to Conserve Biodiversity, spread awareness among people of various regions of India living in vicinity of Wildlife, execute Community-based Sustainability Programmes and fight Climate Change through mitigation and adaptation methods, all of which helps me to achieve my goals. Currently pursuing Master's in Environmental Science at Central University of Kerala, India.
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Campaign Designer
Love for nature and plants was the sole reason I took up Botany as my graduation subject. But during the course, I realized it isn’t something I would want to establish my career in. After graduation, I have started working as a content writer, but that doesn’t fade away my love for nature and my want to contribute towards mother nature. No matter what path I chose as my career, nothing can prevent me from protecting my earth and creating a healthy world for our future generations. I believe I have inherited my love for nature and plants from my parents; the thought that plants are our friends, we can play with them, get angry with sharing our emotions with them was instilled in me by my parents, which I see is missing the children nowadays. I want to share my heart with them and make them realize trees and animals can be our best friends too. If we can make our little ones love nature, we can create a better future.
Currently, working as a Social Media Manager at a Fashion Boutique in Kolkata, is a Freelance Content Writer & SEO Analyst.
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Media Content Designer
I am a twenty-one-year-old passionate about connecting with nature through travelling and illustrating. I enjoy photography and videography as it is an effective mode of communicating to others. My reason to work for conservation: I have an undivided passion for contributing to nature. My interest to be close to nature has always driven in my career. I wish to understand ecological interactions to the depth so that I can share the right knowledge for a better awareness. Apart from my career as a scientist I want to work for conservation and grow myself as someone who will be able to connect every audience to science in the simplest ways. Attending workshops and conferences, I have understood the importance and impact of storytelling. Targeting the right audience and sharing individual journey is a great method of inspiration. I find it intriguing to be able to travel with other people and how individual perspectives enriches us on the possibilities to work for conserving the respect for nature in every mind. Hence, I am happy to take the responsibility to work together and grow our love and appreciation for nature. Currently pursuing master’s degree in Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics from Calcutta University.
Representing the Team as a Student Mentor & Media Content Designer
I am Anushka Dutta, plant science student, naturalist, and curious learner, currently pursuing my masters in botany from Calcutta university. When I am not learning something, I use that time to share my knowledge in different platforms. As a budding scientist, the immobility of the plants but still being able to effectively fight and survives amaze me, I am spending time learning about plant and animal interaction, and how plants talk and come up with astonishing ways to fight the predators. I believe there is lot to learn from the green world. Nature has taught me the most important thing that is patience. I feel most alive in wild places and immediately a feeling of protecting nature comes within me. I realize we are here because of all the resources nature provides us and I am willing to do spend a lot of time conserving nature, communicating for them, protecting them, saving the biodiversity. I have remained bookish for a long time and gathered enough knowledge now I want to step outdoors and do my part.
International Contributors
Honorary International Mentor
Terry Prouty is an enthusiast of Social Wasps (aka: hornets, yellowjackets, and paper wasps). He is also an avid collector of their huge wasp nests in Baton Rouge, Louisiana - The bigger the better! One of the main reasons why he is so passionate about wasps is because the nests which they build are very beautiful and intricate. The marvelous creations are truly natural architectural Masterpieces of Nature! He has been collecting them since he was a young teenager growing up in Louisiana back in the 1980's. So, for the past 35 years, Terry joined in the 'little-known' hobby of wasp nest collecting. He has been collecting numerous wasp nests over the past years. In addition to building incredible nests, wasps are very beneficial to have around. Although most people think of wasps as pests, they benefit mankind and the environment in many ways. They help control invertebrate pests by preying on large numbers of them. As he says - 'Just think of wasps as natural pest control! This really does help to cut down on the use of harmful pesticides. This is healthier for our environment in the long run. It is much better for a gardener to allow a wasp nest to grow on his/her property and have the wasps prey on the garden pests rather than spraying poison on the vegetables! By the way, wasps are great pollinators too.' We are proud to have him as an Honorary International Mentor for Conservation Projects related to Conservation of Bees and Wasps.
Honorary International Mentor
Linh is a Wildlife Conservationist who is currently a Master student of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies of the National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan. Linh's expertise lies in the conservation of the Pangolin with a particular interest in the illegal trade on the species. In the last few years, she was working in Central Africa as a fellow/leader of the MENTOR-POP (Progress on Pangolins) Program funded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with efforts to raise the profile of the endangered species. By researching on the underlying factors influencing attitudes and behaviors of wildlife/pangolin consumers and engaging local people there in wildlife conservation, her collected data has helped to plan strategies for effective reduction in the demand for pangolins and other threatened species. She is currently working on a research focusing on 'human dimension aspects to access local ecological knowledge on pangolins' in Taiwan. In 2016, Linh received the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication’s Young Professional Award that recognizes a young conservationist who conducts excellent work in conservation through education and communication and is advancing opportunities for inspiring others. We are proud to have her as an Honorary International Mentor for projects and programmes related to conservation.
Honorary International Mentor
Sterrin is a Dutch ecologist and herpetologist. She graduated with honours from Wageningen University and conducts research on Reptiles worldwide. Some of her study topics include reptile-environment relationships and potential effects of climate change on the distribution of 'crocodilians'. Besides her research, Sterrin is passionate about education. She owns her own education business that allows her to educate a wide variety of audiences. From small children to university students, Sterrin’s goal is to spread the message that reptiles are worthy of conservation, just like any other species. She has written an educational children's book about reptiles, and is currently working on her second book. She is also an author for National Geographic Junior and has her own educational theatre show. Her conservation message is also spread through television, as she presented the show 'Crazy about reptiles', where she highlighted the interesting reptiles of The Netherlands and Spain, and their role in the ecosystem.
We are proud to have her as an Honorary International Member, for projects and programmes related to reptile awareness and conservation.
Honorary International Mentor
Noemi is an environmental scientist conducting a master in “Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Water Resources Management” at the Stockholm University. She is originally from Italy but she has been moving around Europe to follow her studies and her dreams. She has been working for the National Italian Space Agency, where she has developed her knowledge on satellite technologies and their implications for climate change future projections. At the moment, she is conducting her final thesis on concentration and dispersion of suspended sediments in the Baltic Sea, where she will compare satellite MODIS data with in-situ data directly collected on board of a research vessel. Besides her academic career, Noemi has recently discovered her passion for Science Communication and she has decided to open a social media page aiming to raise awareness about environmental scientists and empower the 'figure of women' in the scientific community. Thanks to her method of communication she had the chance to participate as a speaker to various science conferences and webinars. Noemi´s passion for science, environment and human rights is what drives her entire life bringing her to aspire for a society more connected to nature.
We are proud to have her as an Honorary International Member, for projects and programmes related to Climate & Environmental awareness and conservation.
Honorary International Student Mentor & Intern for Short-term Projects
Ben Everett-Lane is a junior at Yale University majoring in Environmental Science on the Climate Science Track as well as getting certificates in Statistics & Data Science and Chinese. His main focus is studying how to effectively collect and analyze environmental data, and then communicate it to the public in an effective and meaningful way based on their interests and needs. He currently works at the Yale Center for Climate Change Communication as a research assistant, helping in data visualization and creating effective communication tools for climate change data and stories. He worked as an assistant editor, reviewer, and co-author for the book "Biodiversity Islands: Strategies for Conservation in Human-Dominated Environments," written by a Yale School of the Environment professor. He organized the 2021 Global Youth Summit for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. He is a contributing author to The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy's 2022 Environmental Performance Index Report, specifically on the chapter relating to Biodiversity and Habitat. In his free time, he is often found leading or participating in wilderness trips, planning events for his college community, or singing.
We are proud to have him as an Honorary International Student Mentor, for projects and programmes related to Youth & Climate Change Communication.
Honorary International Student Mentor & Intern for Short-term Projects
Tyler is an enthusiastic environmental researcher currently pursuing her Master of Environmental Science (MESc) from the Yale School of the Environment. As an MESc student, she is advised by and part of the lab of Dr. Karen Seto. Dr. Seto's lab team studies the intersection of global environmental change and urbanization using remote sensing and other geospatial tools. Within this lab and focus area, Tyler is writing a thesis focused on extreme heat adaptation in urban Nepal (examined using remote sensing methods). Tyler is also currently working at Esri, the world's leading supplier of geographic information system (GIS) software and location-intelligence products. At Esri, she works in the Education Industry Solutions team to improve the accessibility and quality of geospatial tools in K-12 classrooms so that all students have the opportunity to use spatial problem solving to tackle climate change and other important societal challenges. Tyler earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Community Health from Tufts University in May 2021, and has previously worked for the U.S. Green Building Council (which develops LEED, the most widely-used green building certification/rating program globally), Environment America (a national environmental advocacy organization), and the Green Schools Alliance (which connects and supports people who are creating healthy and sustainable schools). She is looking forward to a climate change-mitigating career which meshes her interests in environmental science, geospatial research, and K-12 education.
We are proud to have her as an Honorary International Student Mentor, for projects and programmes related to Youth Empowerment & Conservation Education.
