Moving Forests with Keshav Sharma

An important note before you watch the episode: This conversation was recorded in May 2026. Since then, Esha has shared publicly that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has spoken about it with remarkable openness, saying that she is ready to face what life has placed in front of her. She is a dear friend and we are sharing this episode with her permission and with our warmest wishes f...

What can a single feather tell us about a bird? For Esha, that simple question led her from a 13-year career in architecture to building India’s first Feather Library, a collection of bird feathers and scientific specimens created for research, education and conservation. In this episode, Esha talks about bird feathers, dead birds, scientific collections, conservation, and the curiosity that can c...

For most people, bats are scary. They attack humans. They spread diseases. They live in dark caves. But how much of what we believe about bats is actually true? In this episode, I speak with renowned bat researcher Dr. Rohit Chakrabarty about the fascinating and often misunderstood world of bats. After years of studying bats across caves, forests, mountains and cities, Rohit shares what these rema...

We’re taught to be afraid of bats. But what if almost everything we believe about them is wrong? In this episode of Moving Forests, I speak with renowned bat researcher Dr. Rohit Chakrabarty about the secret lives of bats, their importance to forests and farms, and what years of studying them in the wild have taught him. The full conversation is coming tomorrow. If you like what you see, please su...

As a teenager, Noori started rescuing injured and helpless birds using her own money. What began as one young girl's decision to help eventually grew into something much bigger. Today, at just 24 years old, Noori has rescued more than 2,000 birds and registered Chahak Charitable Trust, a bird rescue and rehabilitation initiative that she runs from her own home. If you feel like contributing to...

What would you do if you saw an injured bird on the road? Most people walk away. Noori didn't. She started rescuing birds with her own money when she was just a teenager. Today, at only 24, she has rescued more than 2,000 birds and registered her own charitable trust, Chahak Charitable Trust, which operates from her home. When I first heard about Noori and the work she was doing, I couldn't help b...

Most of us think saving forests means planting more trees. But after more than 40 years working across India’s forests, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mudit Kumar Singh has a very different perspective. In this episode, Mr. Singh takes us beyond tree planting and into the much more complicated reality of forest conservation in India; where communities, livelihoods, mining, developme...

Most of us think saving forests means planting more trees. But after more than 40 years working across India’s forests, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mudit Kumar Singh has a very different perspective. In this episode of Moving Forests, Mudit Kumar Singh takes us beyond tree planting and into the much more complicated reality of forest conservation; where communities, livelihoods,...

India is the only country on Earth that is home to six species of big cats; tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards and new the cheetahs. Few people have spent as much time understanding and protecting them as Dr. Latika Nath. Today, I am sitting down with one of India's most respected wildlife biologists and conservation ecologists for a conversation that spans over three plu...

Most of us love wildlife. But very few of us truly understand nature. Today, I am sitting down with conservation biologist, author, and WWF conservation leader Neha Sinha for a conversation that goes far beyond wildlife. We explore what it means to live alongside nature in rapidly changing cities, why so many native birds have disappeared, and how our relationship with forests, trees, and biodiver...

Trishala walked away from an award-winning jewellery-design career to become a purpose-driven conservation filmmaker. In this episode, she traces the path from her first tiger sighting in Jim Corbett to rescuing owls, monkeys and snakes on the streets of Bangalore and to a filmmaking practice built entirely around one question: what real-world impact does a film create? We get into the science and...

Do bats really suck blood? Do they get tangled in people's hair? Are they responsible for spreading diseases? For most people, bats are surrounded by fear and myths. But what if these misunderstood mammals are actually some of the most important animals for our forests, farms, and food systems? In Episode 25 of Moving Forests, I sit down with Rajesh Puttaswamaiah, a citizen scientist, entrepre...

Today, I am talking to Nirmal Kulkarni who at 12 years old, carried a snake to school in a steel compass box. That childhood fascination grew into a lifetime dedicated to understanding and protecting the wildlife of the Western Ghats. Nirmal is one of India's most respected herpetologists and conservationists, the Director of the Mhadei Research Centre. Nirmal shares incredible stories from mo...

Today I am talking to Mr. Chandra Bhushan, founder of iFOREST, and we discuss: What does “environment” really mean? Most people think it’s only about forests, wildlife, and conservation. But in this conversation, environmental policy expert Chandra Bhushan expands the definition far beyond nature alone. We explore how the real environmental challenge is deeply connected to: How we build our econom...

Munmun Dhalaria is a wildlife filmmaker and storyteller from Himachal Pradesh, India. She shares how she went from studying Coyotes in the United States to filming rare wildlife and human stories across Asia. We talk about:• Wildlife filmmaking in India• Her first big project which was also her entry to National Geographic Explorers' Grants program• Conservation storytelling• Filming rare wild lif...

Founder Trustee, Dakshin Foundation, Evolutionary Ecologist, Indian Institute of Science, Marine biologist and writer Dr. Kartik Shanker has spent decades studying sea turtles, coral reefs, coastal ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them. Today, he explains why conservation is far more complicated than simply protecting charismatic animals like tigers and turtles. We discuss: • How one...

Most people think wildlife conservation is only about scientists and animals in the forest. But behind every rescued animal, protected tiger, and conservation success story, there are people working tirelessly to make it happen. Today, I am speaking with Amy van Gelder, Communications Specialist at WildCats Conservation Alliance. Amy shares how storytelling, local communities, conservation teams,...

This is the story of a woman who came to India for work… and ended up transforming an entire ecosystem. It began with one injured puppy on the beach and today, her work has helped reduce rabies and manage stray dog populations through one simple, powerful approach: sterilisation and vaccination. In the coming episode we explore the deeper truth behind stray dogs, fear, and what actually works on t...

Today, we sit down with Rajendra Pandurang Kerkar; one of Goa’s most respected environmental voices. With decades of work in conservation, education, and policy, he has played a key role in protecting Goa’s ecological and cultural heritage. This conversation explores:His journey into environmental activismThe biggest threats facing Goa todayBehind-the-scenes of policy influence and grassroots move...

What if conservation isn’t about protecting nature… but about learning how to live with it? I am super excited to finally share my conversation with Vidya Venkatesh, Director of Last Wilderness Foundation, in this episode she shares an insightful perspective on conservation in India, one that goes far beyond policies and protected areas. From cultural practices like seasonal food habits that unkno...

Meet Alex, originally from the UK, he moved to Goa around 2015.  He is a conservationist with a passion for tropical jungles. He’s lived in places like Costa Rica and Sri Lanka before coming to Goa. A nature lover who’s been living in the goan jungles for over 9 years now. He started The Tribe Goa, an eco-village, and lived in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, tried fixing a huge 150-hectare forest t...

In this episode of Moving Forests , we sit down with Benhail Antao, a celebrated wildlife rescuer and educator. From saving venomous snakes to protecting Goa’s diverse wildlife, Ben shares how his passion evolved into a life mission. We discuss his educational talks on coexisting with animals, the evolution of his work over 15 years, and the success of Snakes SOS: Goa’s Wildest , a National Geogra...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sunando Sen, a former corporate professional turned consultant, investment banker, and entrepreneur. Along with everything else he is also a wildlife conservationist who now runs a sustainable home stay atop a small hill in Jim Corbett. I recorded this piece at his place itself and you'll hear the nature in all it’s glory as the background track :) Today, we...

Join us for the second season premiere of Moving Forests, where we dive into the fascinating world of wildlife conservation and trailblazing women with Anita Mani, the editor of this wonderful book "Women in the Wild."  In this episode, we explore the stories of courageous women field biologists who have left an indelible mark on Indian wildlife conservation. From remote forests to bustl...

In this episode, I am joined by Senior Advocate Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, who oozes love for nature and believes that if you are practising law in the environment field you have to be on the ground.  He recollects several incidents from his long and illustrious career that are super inspiring and fun at the same time. Among the topics we discussed, some key learnings are Why it's important to exam...