Programmes

Celebrating Nature-Culture Relationships

India is a unique blend of culture, wildlife, history, and tradition. The cultural relationships between people and wildlife in India are ancient and deeply rooted in history, prominently featured in our folklore, art forms, rituals, and the acceptance of other life forms within human spaces. These relationships are not merely historical artefacts; they continue to shape our daily lives and interactions with the natural world.

Our programme's vision is to shift the narrative of human-wildlife interactions from entirely negative to more nuanced and positive. We aim to acknowledge and showcase the rich and diverse relationships between humans and nature that surround us. Through our fellowship program, we strive to document and understand the complex and multifaceted relationships between humans and nature through art, culture, and tradition.

Team

Navya R

Navya works as the Programme Manager for the "Celebrating Nature-Culture Relationships" programme at WCS-India. Her lifelong fascination with nature and wildlife led her to pursue a Master's degree in Biotechnology. While her academic background allowed her to appreciate nature at a microscopic level, her passion for wildlife inspired her to undertake projects in that field. Working on wildlife projects has taken Navya to diverse locations across the country, particularly areas where humans and wildlife share space, providing her with a unique perspective. In her current role at WCS-India, she is dedicated to documenting positive interactions between humans and nature.

Dolsy David

Dolsy is driven by a passion for understanding the positive interactions between people and wildlife, and she hopes to use this knowledge to improve human-wildlife relationships. With a Master's degree in Science, specialising in Biodiversity (Utilisation and Management) from Pune University, and through her experience in working in different landscapes throughout India, Dolsy brings expertise to the table. She aims to shift the focus to cohabitation.

Fellowships

Cover illustration: Aditi Rajan | Photos: Pavithran MM, Manish Machaiah, Shashank Dalvi