From rescuing animals to camera trapping across various tiger bearing areas, to engaging and collaborating with local communities and forest staff, Prajakta speaks to us about her professional journey which has been a continuous process of learning and adaptation.
- Tell us more about yourself and what got you interested in working for the environment.
Growing up in the suburban area of Amravati near Melghat, my childhood weekends were akin to visits to the zoo or nearby forest areas, influencing my decisions later on. My conservation journey took an unexpected turn in Amravati with the organization CARS, led by Dr. Sawan Deshmukh and Mr. Raghvendra Nande, where I rescued birds, snakes, and injured animals. Although my initial aspiration was to become a veterinary doctor, inspiration struck after watching a documentary on India’s first female Tiger scientist and National Geographic’s ‘Tiger Princess.’ Despite my family’s unfamiliarity with wildlife conservation, I pursued internships and volunteer work, ultimately solidifying my passion for tigers.
I faced challenges during my Master’s program at a remote Tamil Nadu institute. Overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers, I completed my degree, leading to a professional opportunity at Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra with M.S Reddy (former Field director PTR). The supportive environment there shattered gender barriers, providing equal opportunities for camera trapping across various tigerbearing areas. I am always guided by mentors like Shreya Dasgupta, Dr. Sandeep, Dr. Trishna, Mr Nandkishor Kale , Dr Ramgaonkar and even volunteered with Dr. Ruth in the Kanha landscape. After 14 years into my journey, I transitioned from Maharashtra to the Terai Arc Landscape. From saal to pine, the challenges and sacrifices were compensated by encounters with diverse species and the enchanting melodies of the woods. Living amidst Pahadi culture in the Himalayas fulfilled a dream, making life a wonderful journey filled with the songs, growls, and roars of the wilderness. But In November 2020 amid the pandemic, I ventured back into the central Indian landscape again, joining Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). While the world worried about a lack of opportunities, I felt blessed to work on the ground with the TATR staff. Later, I secured the DBF Fellowship with the support of the TATR Foundation to study the human perception of wildlife in TATR-NNTR corridor.
- How does a typical day unfold for you? Tell us a bit about your daily tasks and conservation work.
Reflecting on the past decade, my professional journey has been a continuous process of learning and adaptation. A typical day for me involves a mix of fieldwork, engagement with local communities, and collaboration with forest staff. Recognizing the pivotal role of communities in conservation has been a turning point, leading me to focus on building their involvement and trust.
Over the years, I’ve also worked to strengthen the capacity of frontline forest staff, enabling them to independently conduct systematic camera trapping as an monitoring tool. At my previous work assignment Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, was pioneered to use of meta-barcoding for diet analysis of both carnivores and herbivores, with beat guards themselves leading the sample collection with collaboration with NCBS, Bangalore.
The Central Indian highlands, a mosaic of villages, farmland, and forests, often bring people and wildlife into direct overlap, creating conflict. Through various interventions, I’ve learned that while conflict cannot be entirely eradicated, practical mitigation measures can foster jugalbandi a harmony between people and nature.
Currently, I work as a Program Coordinator for the Network for Conserving Central India (NCCI). Being a DBF grantee and now part of the core team feels like a dream come true, as it allows me to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and advance coexistence on a wider scale.
Prajakta in the field, operating a drone used for monitoring
- What do you love about your current job?
What I love most about my current job is the opportunity it gives me to turn my long-standing dream of working for coexistence into reality. As Program Coordinator with the Network for Conserving Central India (NCCI), I get to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders from frontline staff to researchers and local communities who all bring unique perspectives to conservation.
The diversity of this role keeps me motivated. On one hand, I’m connected to grassroots realities in villages and forest landscapes; on the other, I’m part of discussions that shape larger conservation.
- Could you share a key learning or experience from the field.
One of the most powerful learnings for me is that conservation is not just about protecting wildlife it is equally about honoring the cultural and spiritual relationships people share with the land. In villages across the landscape, I’ve seen how the tiger, revered as Waghoba, is not feared but respected as a guardian.
I remember an elder in Singarzari village who, upon seeing tiger tracks near the fields, folded his hands and softly said, “Waghoba pahato ahe” (the tiger is watching). It wasn’t a warning but a reminder of coexistence—of living with awareness and respect. That moment stayed with me because it reflected a truth often overlooked in conservation: people can live alongside large carnivores not through force or fear, but through belief systems, rituals, and shared understanding.
Another time, during a field visit on the boundary of Bandhavgarh, I came across a shrine dedicated to Baghsur. When I asked the villagers about it, they explained that “Baghsur ne pareshan kiya hoga,” meaning someone must have been taken in a tiger attack. Yet, instead of using the word “attack,” they chose the phrase “pareshan kiya” “troubled.” That choice of words revealed a remarkable perception: even in loss, their language carried restraint, compassion, and acceptance of the tiger’s presence.
These experiences taught me that solutions to human-wildlife conflict are not only technical like fences or compensation schemes but also deeply cultural. By respecting and building upon such traditions, conservation can become something lived and inherited, not merely enforced.
- Do you feel optimistic about the future of the natural environment of India? Have you experienced a positive change regarding conservation in your area?
Yes, I am optimistic about India’s natural environment because of the active role communities play in conservation. In my landscape, people participate in protecting wildlife, guided by cultural values like reverence for Waghoba, fostering coexistence even in conflict-prone areas. When communities are empowered, conservation becomes a shared responsibility, giving hope for a sustainable future.