Moving Forests with Keshav Sharma

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...

Today we are in conversation with Dr. Faiyaz Ahmad Khudsar a passionate scientist who has led an amazing team to restore acres of sodic land into flourishing bio diverse forest within Delhi-NCR.  This is a feat that noone has been able to accomplish in the whole world and as I promised, here are the details of all parks:  1) The Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP) located near the Wazirabad village, on...

In the Episode.. I am joined by Mr. Akashendu Das, also known as Akash Das, he is a prominent wildlife, advertising and fashion photographer known for his work in the genres of Fine Art and Art Wildlife photography. A recipient of more than 100 prestigious awards, Akash Das has done 16 solo exhibitions in prestigious galleries of Montevideo, Hamburg, Miami, and Paris. Regarded as a path-breaking f...

Today we are in conversation with Bharati Chaturvedi, a passionate advocate for environmental issues and gender equality, she embarked on a remarkable journey shaped by her deep connection with the natural world.  It was her growing awareness of the double burden of inequity and pollution borne by the marginalized, particularly women and children, that led her to action. Her love for India's...

Today, we have the privilege of delving into the captivating world of wildlife and documentary filmmaking with none other than the brilliant Nitye Sood. At just 33 years old, Nitye has already made a mark for himself in the industry, earning accolades and contributing to some of the most significant projects in recent history. Nitye's journey has been nothing short of remarkable. As the co-di...

Today, I am joined by Dr. Sreedhar Vijayakrishnan, an Elephant, Biologist. He is a post-doctoral researcher with the Centre for Conservation and Research. A wildlife biologist by training, Sreedhar has had research interests, over the last decade, in behavioural ecology, wildlife endocrinology, movement ecology, and human dimensions of wildlife conservation, with particular focus on the Asian elep...

Today, I am joined by Camilla Malvestivi, an international wildlife professional and photographer, Camilla was born in Italy. She has then spent many years in France as a vegan chef, before moving to India to pursue her career in wildlife. In this Episode, we will learn about:  Camilla's inspirational story. What she feels about the wild and how she transitioned from another profession to bei...

Key Takeaways: The remarkable journey of Ananda Banerjee, spanning journalism, graphic artistry, and communications, in the pursuit of wildlife protection and environmental preservation. Ananda's role in driving sustainable development, environmental economics, and ecological restoration through his multidisciplinary approach. The power of storytelling and its ability to raise awareness and i...

In the Episode.. I am joined by Doel Trivedy, a highly acclaimed filmmaker whose passion lies in producing and directing impactful documentaries. For over 2 decades, she has fearlessly ventured into some of the most challenging locations alongside the Riverbanks team, listen to this episode to learn more about her story and be inspired.. We will learn:  How she draws inspiration from her connectio...

In this episode of Moving Forests, we sit down with Pankaj Lad - one of the top naturalists and birders out there. He likes to call himself a nature entrepreneur and rightly so. His passion is wildlife and everything he does, is build around the same anchor. From humble beginnings, Pankaj has built an incredible career by following his passion for wildlife and taking big chances in life. Above eve...

In the Episode.. We will go through the entire career of Sudhir Sivaram who is a multi-talented person, one of the best wildlife photographers, a passionate teacher, a storyteller, an artist, a conservationist, a born marketer and an entrepreneur who has an interesting relationship with money.  We will learn:  The key things that a beginner must do if they are starting out. If one has talent how c...