Funded Research Projects

1. Co-Principal Investigator, ‘Dynamics of Environment, Forest and Livelihoods of Kutia Kondh and Dongria Kondh Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, Odisha: Understanding Vulnerability and Adaptation’. Funding Agency: Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), India [This project examines the interlinkages between environment, forests, and livelihoods among the Kutia Kondh and Dongria Kondh Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Odisha. It seeks to understand how ecological changes and socio-economic pressures shape their vulnerability. The study also explores traditional knowledge systems and adaptive strategies used by these communities.]

2. Joint-Principal Investigator, ‘Climate Change and Well-being of the Fishermen: A Study of Chilika Lake, India’. Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Tokyo, Japan [This project examines how changes in the climate and ecology are affecting the lives of traditional fishing communities. The study combines both objective indicators of well-being, like income, job security, fish catch, and access to resources, as well as subjective indicators, like happiness, life satisfaction, perceived quality of life, and community resilience. The findings aim to inform climate adaptation policies that are socially sensitive, livelihood-centered, and grounded in the lived experiences of marginalized fishing communities.]

3. Principal Investigator, ‘Climate change, human-wildlife interactions, and local livelihoods: A study of the forested landscape in sub-Himalayan India’. Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Tokyo, Japan [This project looks into how climate change is altering forest ecosystems in the Buxa Tiger Reserve of India and how it affects the interactions between humans and wildlife. As changing climatic patterns affect habitats and food availability, encounters between wildlife and local communities are becoming more frequent, impacting livelihoods that depend on forests and agriculture. The study seeks to understand how communities are coping and adapting by focusing on the local experiences and analyzing ecological changes together, so the conservation initiatives can foster co-existence.]