Education
Masters of Science in Zoology (Specialization in Wildlife Biology)
Bachelor of Science in Zoology (Honors)
Bachelor of Science in Botany
Experience
The Nature Conservancy - MEL Officer
May 2023 - PRESENT
- Develop and implement Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks for projects focused on community conservation, agroforestry, and human-elephant conflict mitigation
- Integrate projects’ Theory of Change and equity considerations into the MEL frameworks
- Translate field and spatial data into clear, actionable insights that support project teams and stakeholder communication
- Design custom Survey123 and XLSForm tools to enable scalable, structured field data collection
- Integrate biodiversity monitoring, spatial analysis, and local insights into MEL systems to inform adaptive strategies
- Manage spatial data workflows and build ArcGIS dashboards to track and communicate project outcomes across multiple geographies
- Spearhead a project as Technical Lead on indigenising a global Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) portal, adapting it to Indian ecological and cultural contexts
Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) - Senior Project Manager (Ecologist)
September 2020 - March 2023
- IFMT: Indian Forest Management Tool is an app that FES developed to provide technical expertise and assistance to Forest departments of various Indian states in making the Working Plan of Territorial Forest Management. My work included training. I personally trained over 2500 forest staff in the aspects of data collection and principles of the working plan. As part of scaling operations, IFMT, which got adapted into VanApp, is today used by more than 7 states. VanApp is soon to be made mandatory by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Here is a detailed write-up of on the IFMT app and its significance.
- IBIS: is a biodiversity portal that FES developed in 2009; it provides information regarding flora and fauna of any region. I led a team in an initiative to revamp the portal and bring it to the current standards of data, citizen sciences, and technology. Built on a GIS engine, IBIS now provides information on all floral and faunal groups. The new portal is built on international data standards and taxonomy.
- Beyond the above two projects, while working with FES, I used the Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) tool to also conceptualize an eco-restoration tool, named Right Tree Right Place, which aims to help local communities in their efforts to promote native plant species.
Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) - Junior Research Biologist (GIS Analyst)
December 2017 - December 2019
- Analysed GIS-based long-term data on land use and land cover changes in Sarus Crane habitats across Gujarat
- Processed satellite imagery to detect landscape-level changes over six decades
- Conducted ground-truthing efforts and integration of field data with spatial layers
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) - Project Biologist
June 2017 - December 2017
- Conducted field research in the Nyamjang Chhu river basin near Zemithang village, Tawang district, a key wintering site for the Black Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis)
- Surveyed crane habitat in dry riverbeds, stream edges, and riparian shrub zones, especially those dominated by Hippophae spp., in which cranes forage and roost
- Recorded hydrological data to help establish habitat suitability criteria related to water depth and flow velocity
- Supported the assessment of potential ecological impacts from a proposed 780 MW hydroelectric project by Bhilwara Energy Ltd, which could have submerged a large portion of the crane’s habitat
- Gathered findings from the study to suggest conservation recommendations, leading to the scrapping of the dam project subsequently, helping protect this critical habitat
- Gained valuable field experience in high-altitude Himalayan riverine ecosystems and species-habitat assessment
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH - Independent Grant
December 2016 - June 2017
- Conducted an ecological study named “Assessing bird-habitat linkages at Khijadiya Wildlife Sanctuary and Gosabara Wetland, key biodiversity hotspots in Gujarat”
- Surveyed avian diversity, documented species-specific habitat dependencies, and identified critical conservation zones to inform wetland management strategies
- Analyzed ecological data to support evidence-based recommendations for protecting threatened species and their ecosystems
- Led the GIZ initiative on coastal and marine conservation by delivering actionable insights for sustainable habitat preservation
Rufford Small Grant - Independent Grant
July 2015 - July 2016
- Research: 1) Estimate avifaunal diversity 2) Assess the socioeconomic condition of the indigenous farming tribes, especially post droughts 3) Gauge people’s awareness levels and ascertain extent of hunting
- Awareness: 1) Conduct nature workshops to sensitize school children, teachers and parentss 2) Lead nature trails to reshape perspectives of villagers about avifauna
- Generation of alternative livelihoods: 1) Promote general awareness about Purna as a bird sanctuary 2) Coordinate with government departments to spread awareness 3) Train local youth as bird guides, fostering a sense of stewardship and ownership 4) Explore home stays and ecotourism as a revenue generating alternative
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) - Research Biologist
September 2013 - January 2015
- Conducted field research in critical tiger landscapes, including Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam), and Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
- Collated and analysed ecological data on tigers, co-predators, prey populations, and habitat quality by using camera traps, line transects, sign surveys, and vegetation sampling
- Contributed to national tiger population assessments, supporting conservation strategies under India’s Tiger Monitoring Program
- Gained hands-on experience in wildlife monitoring, field data collection, and ecological survey techniques in diverse forest ecosystems
Nature Club Surat - Independent Grant
July 2012 - June 2013
- Conducted biodiversity surveys using point transects, fixed-point counts (birds), and visual encounter surveys (VES) to assess species richness
- Performed extensive nocturnal surveys for amphibians and reptiles, contributing to baseline data in an understudied forest ecosystem
- Submitted findings to Nature Club, Surat and the Gujarat Forest Department, supporting conservation planning
- Data utilized for M.Sc. Dissertation (Dept. of Zoology, MSU Vadodara), enhancing academic and field research integration
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) - Field Assistant
May 2009 - July 2010
- Conducted field surveys across protected areas in Gujarat to collect data on vegetation, soil, and land use/land cover for satellite image validation
- Laid out standardized vegetation plots (31.62 × 31.62 m, 10 × 10 m, and 1 × 1 m) as per National Remote Sensing Centre protocols
- Collected and identified plant specimens, contributing to herbarium preparation and species documentation
- Gained valuable experience in integrating ground-based biodiversity data with remote sensing outputs for landscape-level ecological assessment
Skills
Note: I think these sections are silly, but everyone seems to have one. Here is a *mostly* honest overview of my skills.
Certifications
Udemy:
15 Days of SQL: The Complete SQL Masterclass 2025
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Udemy:
A Comprehensive Guide to PostGIS and Spatial Queries
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O'Reilly Media:
Python in 5 Weeks
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O'Reilly Media:
SQL Queries in 90 Minutes
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Microsoft and LinkedIn:
Career Essentials in Data Analysis by Microsoft and LinkedIn
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LinkedIn Learning:
Project Management Foundations
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LinkedIn Learning:
Learning ArcGIS Python Scripting
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LinkedIn Learning:
Tableau for Data Scientists
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LinkedIn Learning:
Machine Learning with Logistic Regression in Excel, R, and Power BI
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Cornell:
Data Visualization in Tableau
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Cornell:
Data Science With SQL and Tableau
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Cornell:
Data Science Essentials
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Cornell:
Data Analytics in R