Ph.D Students Registered in 2017
Research interests: I am passionate about Nature and an ardent lover of bird songs. Besides acoustic communication in birds my research interest broadly covers behavioral ecology, biogeography, modelling species-habitat relationship and conservation ecology. I did my Masters in Environmental Studies from University of Delhi, where I worked on “Acoustic diversity of dawn and roosting chorus of birds in an urban landscape”. Thereafter I joined Wildlife Institute of India for my Doctoral research, where I would be working on the “Acoustic partitioning among co-occurring birds and other organisms”. I would be primarily looking into how co-occurring birds and other organisms use the same acoustic space for their effective communication, thus establishing co-existence among themselves. Apart from research work, I have interest in paintings, composing nature poetry and travelling. |
Arif Ahmad Email: arif [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, arif000ahmad [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: I am from Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. I pursued my Masters in Wildlife Sciences from Aligarh Muslim University in 2014. My Masters’ dissertation was on the ecological aspects of Chital and Sambar in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar. I joined Wildlife Institute of India in May 2016 as a project biologist, investigating the species occupancy patterns and niche differentiation among sympatric carnivores in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh. The joint perspectives of evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation biology interest me, consequently, I chose the Department of Endangered Species Management to carry out my research. The focus of my Doctoral Research is on the distribution patterns of large mammals in relation to their habitat characteristics and the influence of anthropological factors in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary. Other interests of mine lie in bird watching, music, travelling, cricket and watching eloquent movies. |
Arundhati Mohanty Email:arundhati [dot] mohanty [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, arundhati [dot] mohanty12 [at] gmail [dot] com Research Interests: I am from Mumbai and an alumna of St. Xavier's College wherein I did my masters in the field of life science. For my dissertation, I have looked into the effects of toxin on an animal model system, which is when my interest peaked in the field of wildlife biology and conservation science. Subsequently, I got an opportunity to associate with Wildlife Institute of India and worked on the development of a conservation plan for flamingo's which further fuelled my passion to continue in this field. For my doctorate research I will be looking into the ecology of the Forest owlet in the Melghat landscape with the hope that the research succeeds in establishing better management strategies for the critically endangered endemic bird.
|
Ashok Kumar Ram Email: ashokrink11 [at] gmail [dot] com, ashokrink [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: I did my M.Sc. Forestry from Tribhuwan University (TU), Institute of Forestry (IOF) Pokhara, Nepal. I am an employee of Nepal Forest Department and my long-term research interests have been in the field of elephant biology and conservation. Apart from this, I am also interested in conducting genetic analysis of wild Buffalo and snow leopard in Nepal. For my Ph.D., I would like to continue working on elephants. I am planning to conduct a landcape level modelling of elephant habitat and conflict in Nepal. |
Frank Sadrack Jabaraj.D Email: frank [dot] sadrack [at] gmail [dot] com, frank [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: I did my Master’s in Wildlife Science from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. Before joining WII, I completed my bachelor’s in Agriculture from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. My inclination towards Wildlife started during my under graduation days where I was exposed to forestry related aspects and conservation issues. My keen interest for flora and fauna in the wild motivated me to take up a course in Wildlife Science. My master’s dissertation work was on “Resource selection by large herbivores with special reference to blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu”. My research interest mainly lies in the multidisciplinary field of conservation biology and wildlife ecology. I am currently planning to work on the conservation of heronries (Waterbird nesting colonies) and their ecosystem services in TamilNadu for my PhD. |
N. Gokulakkannan Email: gogulselvi [at] gmail [dot] com, gokul [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: My research interest involves in studying the habitat use patterns, feeding, and breeding habits of wetland birds. My interest further lies in examining the effects of Organochlorine pesticide and heavy metal residues in the reproductive cycle of the water birds. I did my Masters in Wildlife Biology from Bharathidasan University, TamilNadu. I started my research career as research personnel at Wildlife Institute of India. I have gained experience in various projects involving carnivore ecology, wetlands, water birds and mangroves for about six year period between 2010-2016. Currently I am working as a Senior Research Fellow in the project entitled, “An assessment of breeding, foraging and habitat use patterns of a threatened Piscivorous colonial nesting water bird, Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) at Bhitarkanika Mangroves”. |
Kalzang Targe Email: kalzang [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in , dargay966 [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : I am from Spiti Pin Valley (cold desert area) of Himachal Pradesh, India. I have done my master in Zoology from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and B.Ed, B.Sc. from H.P.U, Shimla. I worked as SRF under different projects from 2015-2016 in Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P) India. My interest in wildlife encouraged me to join WII, Dehradhun in 2017. In broader sense my research interests include understanding the ecological importance of flora, fauna, and their conservation aspects especially of endangered species in Trans Himalaya regions of Spiti valley and also interested to study the ethno medicinal uses. For my Ph.D I am looking forward to study about pastoralism, socioeconomic transition of migratory herders in Pin valley, anthropogenic activities and dependence of local people on Pin Valley National Park. |
Kamalika Bhattacharyya Short Biography: I pursued masters in Zoology from W.B. State University. My masters’ dissertation on behavioural ecology inspired me to follow a career in research, however, my native place along the Ganges, near Kolkata, enticed me towards wild fauna. The domains of behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology and wildlife conservation entices my research interest. Besides, I am also interested in forensic entomology and serology. Being fascinated towards wildlife and the Himalaya, I joined WII in DST-NMSHE project as a JPF. My tenure in the project concerned me of inevitability of insects as bioindicators in biodiversity conservation in the Himalaya. Thereafter, I joined ZSI, Kolkata, as a JRF under NMHS project to study potentials of lepidopterans as bioindicators in the Indian Himalayan Region. My doctoral research focuses on taxonomy, phylogeography and potentials of moth as bioindicators in IHR. Beyond academics travelling, photography and painting are my salvation from my tedious schedules. |
Kaushik Mallick Email: kaushik11 [dot] cc [at] gmail [dot] com , kaushik11 [dot] cc [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: I have done my masters in Zoology from the University of Calcutta and have a keen interest in Entomology and Conservation Biology. During my masters, I have worked at Zoological Survey of India on Entomology in Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal. I also volunteered in a project on Sacred Groves in Semi-aired areas of West Bengal, under Academy of Biodiversity Conservation. I am currently working under NMHS fellowship programme as a Himalayan Junior Project Fellow at Zoological Survey of India. Here, I got the opportunity to work in high altitudinal areas of Himalayan Landscape. My study concerns the Diversity and Distributional pattern of Lepidoptera in Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh. Apart from Wildlife, I am interested in Photography, Trekking and playing outdoor games. |
Mirza Ghazanfar Ullah Ghazi Email: mirza [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, mirza_ghazanfar [at] yahoo [dot] in Research interests : I completed my Masters in Biotechnology from IFTM University, Moradabad in 2013. My master’s dissertation from Jamia Millia Islamia introduced me to the field of molecular phylogenetics. My career in wildlife research started as I volunteered in the All India Tiger Monitoring project. Later, I joined Wildlife Institute of India as a Junior Research Fellow in a project investigating the Phylogenetic Status of North-East Sambar Populations. My broad research interests include Evolutionary genetics, Molecular Systematics and Conservation Biology. Currently, I am working as a Senior Research Fellow and my doctoral research focuses on studying the Molecular Systematics of Sambar (Rusa unicolor) in India to understand its phylogenetic structure. Also, I want to contribute in the development of molecular techniques for the conservation of critically endangered species which are at the brink of extinction. Apart from academics, travelling to less trodden places is another passion of mine. |
Mohd. Ali Email: ali [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, ali [dot] ladakh2 [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : I hail from the village Thovina, Suru valley of (Kargil) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. My interaction with wildlife began as a child when I saw a Red fox catching poultries in the village. My interest in species around me motivated me to join the field of conservation. I did my Bachelor from University of Jammu, J&K and postgraduate in wildlife science from University of Kota, Rajasthan with a dissertation on “Socio Economic Survey of Villages in Core Area of Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, Kota, Rajasthan”. I have also volunteered with WWF. Currently, I’m a Himalayan Junior Research Fellow at Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. For my Ph.D, I am interested to study the climate change and how it affects Lepidoptera especially Butterflies in the Himalayas. I see myself in future as a contributor to the conservation of nature by my little efforts. |
Mohd Raza Email: mohd [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in , razapodrigs [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: I am from Ladakh’s district of Kargil in the trans-Himalayan region. The regions wilderness and unique geographical features always enthused me and motivated me to study wildlife. Currently my research interest includes understanding distribution pattern of high altitude mammals, human-wildlife interaction and environmental policy. Before joining WII I studied the status and distribution of birds and mammals in Kargil as part of my of masters dissertation and later joined a DST sponsored project on “Ecology of Tibetan antelope and associated species in Changchenmo valley, Ladakh”. For my Ph.D. I will work on wildlife conservation in the the trans-Himalayan region. |
Nandish Vaidya Email: nandish [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, nhv [dot] msu [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: Birds being the most attractive organisms inspired me to select the avian research. I am particularly interested in behavioral ecology, conservation biology and movement ecology of birds. I would like to identify the threats to avifauna in various landscapes and club it with ecological research to draw suitable conservation measures. My doctoral research will focuse on the ecology, habitat preference and land use change of Black Francolin in semi-arid biogeographic zone of Kutch. In future, I would like to study the ecology of threatened mammals and birds as they play an important role in ecosystem and shape my study with an approach to conserve them.
|
Nilanjan Chatterjee Email: nilanjan [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: Tryst with the animal world began for me through my lenses. I travelled to different parks across the country to come closer to this wilderness. I did my masters in statistics but my craving for the wild brought me to the Wildlife Institute of India. My first exposure to systematic field surveys was in the Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve. This gave me a brilliant opportunity to understand animal life in forest systems very closely. Experiences from field days intrigued my interest in ecological studies. Community dynamics in mammals and birds is my fundamental interest in this discipline. For my doctoral study I would like to optimize sampling efforts to survey terrestrial mammal community focusing on different methodologies. With progress in my research career I look forward to developing methodological innovations to design studies targeted for different animals. |
Pallavi Ghaskadbi Email: pallavi [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in ; pallavi [dot] ghaskadbi [at] gmail [dot] com Research Interests: I am a Masters alumna and now a Project Biologist at the Wildlife Institute of India. My academic interests are animal behaviour, predator-prey interactions, spatial ecology and intra-guild competition to name a few. I have worked on the behaviour of Asiatic Wild Dogs or Dholes for my Masters dissertation project. Currently, I’m studying dispersing sub adult tigers in the Eastern Vidarbha Landscape. Following tigers across a human dominated landscape and spending more time outside Protected Areas looking for them has been an eye opening experience and has changed my perception of tiger ecology. I would be continuing to work on the behavioural ecology of Dholes for my PhD. My other non-academic interests are scuba diving, baking and photography. |
Pamela Bhattacharya Email: pamela [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, bhattacharya [dot] pamela8313 [at] gmail [dot] com Research Interests: Having a background in Chemistry and Biotechnology I developed an early research interests in understanding life processes in extremophilic microorganisms. After my M. Sc. I gained extensive research expertise in the field of microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, proteomics and computational genomics while working at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. I was awarded Fulbright Nehru Doctoral and Professional fellowship to conduct research on microbial Chromium bioremediation at University of California, Berkeley. Subsequently I joined Wildlife Institute of India in DST-NMSHE project. I am continuing my work with microorganisms to understand climate change impacts in the Indian Himalayan region. In future I would like to focus my research on microbial metagenomics and transcriptomics. Apart from academic interests my other hobbies are painting, cooking and gardening. |
R. Prem Jothi Research interests: With a Master degree in Marine Studies and Coastal Resource Management from Madras Christian College, I understand the advancement taking place in the field of Marine science. After completing my Masters programme, I worked as a Project Fellow in a Project “Biodiversity and Conservation in Pulicat Lake” and worked as a SRF at CMFRI under the project “National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture”. Although, I worked in Lake and Laboratory conditions, as a SCUBA Diver, I have an ambition to work in underwater, especially in the field of marine endangered species conservation. I worked for five years as an Assistant manager in Whale Shark Conservation Project in WTI. Based on my experience and the expertise which I have gained will help me to contribute immensely in our esteem institution. Presently I am working as a Project Fellow in a project “CAMPA - Recovery of Dugongs and their Habitats in India”. |
Prerna Sharma Email: prerna [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, prernawildlife [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : My research interests are in animal behavior, carnivore ecology and conservation, and animal welfare. I have worked in the field of rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals for four years (2006 -2010) which gave me an opportunity to understand different welfare issues and challenges. My first exposure to wildlife research was in 2012-13, at the Indian Institute of Forest Management, where I studied the population and feeding ecology of golden jackals for my M.Phil dissertation. I was fortunate to receive formal training and a larger exposure to wildlife conservation and research, during my tenure as a research biologist in Wildlife Institute of India in All India Tiger Monitoring Project 20I3-15. For my Ph.D., I am interested in studying the distribution, nutrition, and welfare of sloth bears in India. |
Priti Kumari Research interests : Since my childhood, I got opportunities to visit different parts of India. The cultural and biological diversity of different states is now a part of my study. My research interest includes wetland ecology, ecosystem services, ethnobiology, gender issues in conservation and social system in conservation planning. I have worked on wetland resource use dependency of people living in floodplains of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. |
Priyanka kashyap Email: 11priyankakashyap [at] gmail [dot] com, priyanka [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: I have done my masters in biotechnology from Punjab technical university. Presently I am working as JRF in DST-NMSHE project at Wildlife Institute of India. My research focuses on assessing the nematode community structure in different vegetation type of selective areas of Indian Himalayan Region. I developed my interest in these small microscopic organisms while working on nematodes during my master’s dissertation which persuaded me for in-depth exploration to understand how different types of soil nematodes interact with their environment including abiotic & biotic factors. Major interest areas are nematode ecology, molecular phylogenetics and molecular nematology. To elucidate the fundamental mechanisms behind their rapid adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, I am interested in understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying resilience to environmental stress in the face of climate change utilizing an array of genomic, genetic and biochemical tools. My other interests are reading, travelling, sketching and photography. |
Ranjana Pal Research interests: My areas of interest are population ecology, landscape ecology and human dimensions in wildlife management. I am currently working as a Project Fellow in DST funded National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) Programme, where our focus is to assess the effect of climate change on faunal communities. During my Master’s in Biodiversity and Conservation from GGSIP University, Delhi, I have worked on free-ranging dog management programme in Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh. I eventually joined Wildlife Institute of India as a researcher for the All India Tiger Monitoring Project in 2013. This opportunity helped me gather unique experiences with local communities and park managers in different tiger reserves across the country. I seek to improve my understanding of distribution and dynamics of animal populations, and how to utilize this information to formulate a holistic conservation for threatened species. |
Rita rani Email: rsrita [dot] gd [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, rsrita [dot] gd [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : My keen research interests are ecosystem dynamics, behavioral ecology, and aspects of climate change. I have done my Graduation in Biotechnology and Post-graduation in Environmental Science from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra. Presently I am working on ecological dynamics of ecotonal zones of forest in western Himalaya. Ecotones are genuinely productive and remarkable in their structure and capacity. Through this study, I would attempt to dissect sole survival component of ecotones. Behavioral ecology consistently got a unique consideration of mine. In future, I might want to proceed in that way moreover. Aside from scholastics, I love to play violin and guitar. |
Sarabjeet Kaur Narula Research Interests: Animal Ark by Lucy Daniels moved me towards fauna in school and ever since then Wildlife Conservation has been my goal. I completed my masters in Zoology with specialization in Fisheries. But because birds fascinate me I chose to do my dissertation on Water birds at Asan Conservation and Wetlands Reserve, Dehradun. My research interest is in the field of Ornithology largely and would love to explore more about these beautiful creatures. I would also love to understand the field of Wildlife as much as I can so as to acknowledge it better. I love bird watching and studying the flora around me. It is happiness for me to stay connected and grounded with nature. |
Shahid Ahmad Dar Research interests: Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed. Till the date a huge number of wildlife species have fallen victim to the insatiable greed of man. While many species vanished from the face of the earth, many more are near to extinction. I have chosen this career so to contribute in the protection of nature in general and preservation of Wildlife in particular. I acquired a master’s degree in wildlife biology from Aligarh Muslim University. Afterwards I have been working as a project biologist in Wildlife Institute of India on different projects.
My doctoral thesis endeavours to study Population genetic structure and gene flow in brown bear populations in India and assess extent of gene flow between populations of India and Pakistan: Conservation and Forensic Implications. My broad research interests include landscape genetics and landscape ecology. |
Shrushti Modi Email: shrushti [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, shrushti30 [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: Nature has always made me feel at home. After finishing my masters in Biotechnology from M.S. University of Baroda, I joined IISc to figure out my inclination towards ecology. There I got the chance to relate molecular biology with population ecology. Thus, my journey started. I am interested in knowing about the effect of habitat changes on insects, understanding the interaction of different keystone species inhabiting the same ecological niche, how habitat fragmentation is affecting the existence of large mammals and lot more. Currently I am trying to understand the effect of habitat fragmentation on large carnivores across Maharashtra using molecular biology and GIS as a tool. Apart from science, I love travelling and reading good literature. |
Shrutarshi Paul Email: shrutarshi [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, shrutarshipaul07 [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: Right from my childhood I have visited various forests of India and this has imprinted in me an inexplicable connection with wildlife. Pursuing my passion, I landed in the world of Zoology for my undergraduate studies. Subsequently I started harboring interests in the fields of Landscape Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genetics. After completing MSc in Life Science from Bose Institute, Kolkata I joined WII to pursue my PhD as a DST-INSPIRE Fellow. Currently I am trying to understand the movement biology of Swamp deer in the upper Gangetic plains of Northern India using a combination of radio telemetry, GIS and molecular tools. I am also interested in ecology of some of the elusive small cats of India like Clouded leopard, Pallas’s cat and Asian golden cat including their distributional limits and phylogeography. Besides academic interests, I am fond of trekking, adventure sports and driving. |
Shweta Singh Email:singhshweta1090 [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : After a Master's in Zoology from Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Deemed University, Agra, I joined the Wildlife Institute of India as a Research Biologist in Genetics component in the All India Tiger Monitoring Project in November 2013. Having experienced the importance of genetics in aiding conservation, I continued as a research biologist on the “Genetic connectivity at landscape scales for large carnivores in tiger habitats” project. I am specifically interested in understanding the genetic structure and gene-flow of non-pantherine carnivores, especially Dholes, across India. I’m also interested in the social dynamics and pack structuring of Dholes across the country and as part of my Ph.D, I hope to explore and answer some of these questions. |
S. K. Sajan Email: sajan [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, sksajan[dot] sajan [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: I grew up in north Odisha and completed my masters in Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation from North Orissa University in 2012. I am currently engaged as a Junior Research Fellow in Zoological Survey of India. I am interested in Mollusca, mainly in the terrestrial gastropods. For doctoral research, I will be focusing on systematics, ecology and see how species distribution patterns have changed over the time, what factors may be behind on species distribution and abundance shifts, and ecological interactions. In future, I’ll concentrate my work on biogeography and phylogeny of Malacofauna in the Indian subcontinent. |
Sumedha Korgaonkar Email: Sumedha_19 [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, sumedhakorgaonkar [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : My research interest being marine biodiversity, I have done masters in Oceanography from Mumbai University. Passion for marine photography and travelling has exposed me to variety of coastal regions in India. My initial research was based on intertidal fauna, their taxanomy, diversity and interrelationship. Subsequently, working in few marine projects has made me aware of the conservation management programmes in coastal India. Having observed the impact and challenges of coastal conservation management, I have broadened my research interest to ecology and conservation management of marine ecosystem. For PhD, my research work will be based on olive ridley turtles from eastern Arabian Sea. |
Sumit Arya Email: sumitarya [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, sumitaryawls [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: I did my Master’s in Wildlife Sciences from Aligarh Muslim University. My research interest is to study the avian ecology especially passerine birds in the Himalayas. For my Master’s dissertation, I investigated the bird community structure in and around Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand. Later, I joined Wildlife Institute of India as a Project Biologist in ICIMOD funded project for the conservation and development initiative programs in the Kailash Sacred Landscape-India. My doctoral research is focused on studying the pattern of avifaunal diversity in different habitats and land use of this landscape. Also, I am interested to assess the distribution of rare and threatened avifauna species in the Himalayan region and to understand the key factors governing the population structure. Apart from academics, I love to travel, bird watching, play badminton, cricket, reading novels and listening music. |
Sunita kumari Email: sunita [dot] j [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, sunitajaiswalewmpu [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: My native place is Deoria district (Uttarpradesh) and I grew up in Patna (Bihar). I did my graduation in “Environment and water management” from Magadh University (Anugrah Narayan College, Patna), and post-graduation in “Environmental Science and Management” from Patna University. Subsequently I joined wildlife Institute of India to continue my work in environmental science here. My research interest includes vegetation ecology, Habitat importance and conservation, various aspects of wetland ecology, Ecotoxicology, Bioremediation, climate change, Physicochemical characteristics of water and soil and their impact on vegetation, animals and human being. In PhD I will work on Riverine wetlands and its various aspects. |
Supriya Bhatt Email: supriyabhatt6 [at] gmail [dot] com; supriya [dot] j [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests : After finishing my post-graduation in Biotechnology from Graphic Era University, I joined an NGO dedicated to tree plantation and spreading awareness for conservation among different communities. At that time, I got in touch with a wide variety of wild flora and fauna of India and their importance in ecosystem. To get a better understanding of how these natural systems work, I decided to work further in this field and subsequently joined WII. My research interest lies in the field of conservation genetics, immunology and animal endocrinology especially for large mammals. In my PhD, I will be focusing majorly on large carnivores as they provide us information on healthy ecosystem. I will be looking into the social interaction among the two large sympatric carnivores like tiger and leopard in Uttarakhand. Apart from that, I am also interested in looking into human-wildlife conflict and local community involvement in conservation. |
Surya P. Sharma Email: suryapdsharma [at] gmail [dot] com suyapdsharma [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests : I have done my Master’s in Biotechnology from Dolphin Institute, Dehradun (H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar). During my Master’s, I got an opportunity to learn application of molecular tools in forestry which made me inclined towards exploring different molecular tools and their application in wildlife research and conservation. I joined Wildlife Institute of India as a Research Biologist to study the impact of mining on wildlife. Presently, I am engaged as a Junior Research Fellow studying the phylogenetics and genetic diversity of Crocodiles and turtles. My research interest includes Wildlife Genetics and Evolutionary Biology. My Ph. D. research is focused on studying genetic diversity and understanding the evolutionary relation of Gavialis gangeticus. I enjoy playing cricket, listening music and watching movies in my leisure time. |
Suvankar Biswas Email: suvankar [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in; biswassuvankar [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests: With a post graduate degree in Applied Genetics from Bangalore University and a keen interest in the natural world, I joined Wildlife Institute of India to pursue my research career. My broad research area covers species biology, evolutionary relationship and genetic status of endangered species, especially the higher vertebrata. For my PhD. dissertation I have chosen tiger as my study species. My primary focus is to understand the tiger population structure, connectivity, gene flow based on molecular evidences. I will also try to identify the landscape features which hinder the connectivity in a human dominated landscape using GIS as a tool. Apart from these I also have interest in driving, riding, photography, snake handling and spending time in gym. |
Swapnali Gole Email: swapnali [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in, gole [dot] swapnali [at] gmail [dot] com Research interests : Marine world never fails to fascinate me! Encouraging the same fascination, I pursued my masters in marine zoology from Mumbai University in 2013. My primary research has been studying behavioral ecology of marine fauna. Nature of unique survival strategies like symbiotic associations in marine invertebrates is an aspect less studied from Indian waters. I am studying the host occupancy pattern, niche partitioning and intra guild behavior of the symbionts under the National Geographic young explorer grant. I am also studying the seagrass habitats along different disturbance gradient in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India for my doctoral programme. |
Uttaran Bandyopadhyay Email: uttaran25 [at] gmail [dot] com, uttaran25 [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in Research interests: After completing graduation in Biochemistry, I did my masters in Environmental Science from the University of Calcutta. During masters, Ecology and Conservation Biology are the two fields that I found most interesting and decided to carry on. I have earlier worked on a project dealing with invasive plants at Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata which eventually helped me to be interested in Plant Biology and Ethnobotany. I am currently working as a Himalayan Junior Project Fellow under the NMHS fellowship programme at ZSI, Kolkata where I have got this great opportunity to work in the mighty Himalayas. My current study deals with the diversity and distribution pattern of Moths in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary region, Uttarakhand. Apart from this, I love to travel, watch birds, write, read and play guitar. |
Last Updated: October 21, 2019