My broad interests span the fields of functional and comparative biomechanics in the context of evolutionary ecology. For my MS thesis, I studied the patterns of morphological and phylogenetic diversity in Asian canopy-frugivorous birds. For my PhD, I am studying comparative biomechanics of bird bills in diverse ecological and evolutionary contexts. During my spare time, I can be found painting/sketching, or listening to music. I also love traveling and trying out different cuisines.

I hail from Wayanad and my enthusiasm for wildlife sprouted during my early years, going out for nature walks with my father in this mesmerising landscape. I completed my master's in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from NCBS, Bangalore. My interests span across natural history, community ecology, evolutionary biology, bioacoustics and particularly biomechanics. My Ph.D research focuses on the architectural biomechanics of animal constructions. My MSc dissertation focused on understanding the role of acoustic trait space of species in the community assembly of mixed-species bird flocks. Outside academic hours, I spend long hours photographing and documenting the biodiversity around me, in addition to engaging in farming and music. I am deeply rooted in the Wayanad landscape and also am an active member of Wayanad Prakriti Samrakshana Samiti, a collective involved in social and conservation-related issues in Wayanad.

Born and brought up in West Bengal, my interest in ecological research started during my Bachelor's in Zoology from University of Calcutta when I worked on the community assemblage of copepods in the lower Gangetic delta. I followed up with a Master's in Ecology from Pondicherry University, where I worked on nesting behaviour of the three-striped palm squirrel for my thesis. My broad interests are in community ecology, animal behaviour and communication (and of course conservation biology), and plan to work along the same lines for my PhD. I usually spend my leisure time birding and herping and always appreciate a cool thriller movie and jokes (from dad to dark).

My curiosity for learning new things drove me to pursuing research. I became interested in ecology, animal behaviour and evolution through birdwatching and reading encyclopaedias during my childhood. I joined the BS-MS program of IISER Pune in 2021. Over summer projects, I worked with Anand on understanding patterns in Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers song and using a deep learning approach to classify bird calls. For my MS thesis, I am studying the factors influencing social interactions in parrots, and how group dynamics affect vocal learning. Apart from the above projects with Anand, I previously worked with Dr. Sutirth Dey on understanding effects of different diets on Drosophila melanogaster biochemistry and whether being selected for dispersal changes the biochemical profile in a novel diet environment.

I often play video games for stress-busting. I have been learning Hindustani classical music on the harmonium since I was a child. I also like to play badminton.

I was born and brought up in Raichur, Karnataka – a beautiful region swaddled by two grand rivers of the peninsular India, viz. Tungabhadra and Krishna, and blessed with an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, particularly birds. My passion for ornithology was imprinted in me, when I came across a chapter about Sálim Ali in a kannada textbook. I completed my bachelor’s in Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Zoology from Christ (Deemed to be University) in Bengaluru. I pursued a master’s in wildlife science (ornithology) at Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore. My M.Sc. dissertation thesis was focused on “Population status, distribution and diet composition of Brahminy Kites in inland and coastal wetlands of Karnataka”. My research interests lie in ornithology, particularly, bioacoustics and behavioural ecology.