I am currently (as per 2024) a fourth year MBiol student at the University of Oxford, completing a project with WildCRU supervised jointly by Professor Claudio Sillero and Professor Andy Gosler. My project explores the interface between religion and tiger conservation in India. Understanding and respecting local customs, faiths, and sentiments is crucial in mitigating and potentially resolving human-wildlife conflict. By understanding the religious motivations of the people engaging directly with and impacted by tigers, this project will enable the integration of people’s views into successful conservation efforts of these endangered and charismatic animals.

My musical background, as both a South Indian classical vocalist and Western classically trained diploma pianist, inspired me to combine my dichotomous passions for music and ornithology. This led me to research the musicality of birdsong – a topic I have written and published a scientific paper on and have spoken about at several international events, including the 2021 Global Biodiversity Festival. In line with these ornithological interests, I was part of the 2022 Baseline Expedition to the Dracula Reserve, Ecuador. This expedition was funded partially by the LMH Heron-Allen Travel Scholarship. On this trip, I was part of the first team of scientists to ever conduct biodiversity studies in this region of the Tropical Andes. This site, which is part of the Chocó cloud forest, is one of the most biodiverse yet threatened regions of the planet. Being part of this expedition not only expanded my burgeoning interest in on conservation, but also proved to be a life-changing experience. Additionally, supported by the Eurofins Fund and the Heron-Allen Excellence Award, I went on a two-week, departmentally organised fieldtrip to Borneo. As a passionate wildlife enthusiast, I have worked with various national and international environmental organisations, aiming to educate and empower youth to make a measurable difference to our planet.