Academic qualification
2017 Ph.D. (Elephant Ecology), Indian Institute of Science, India
2010 M.Sc. Environmental Science, Kurukshetra University, India
2007 B.Sc. Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
2004 I.Sc. Biological Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
2002 High school: International Public School, Nepal
Postdoctoral experiences (two years each*)
(4) 2024 JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow, Kyoto University, Japan*
(3) 2022 National Zoo Fellow, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA*
(2) 2020 DBT Chemical Ecology Postdoc Fellow, NCBS-IISc, India*
(1) 2018 Short-term Core-to-core JSPS Visiting Fellow, Kyoto University, Japan
Awards and honours
(14) 2025 Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Award 2025 (Author Service Award: European Journal of Wildlife Research)
(13) 2024 16th Kyoto University Tachibana Award for Outstanding Women Scientists (Encouragement Award)
(12) 2023 Hakubi Fellow, The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research (Kyoto Uni.)
(11) 2022 Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowship (Standard), Kyoto University, Japan
(10) 2020 Smithsonian National Zoo Fellowship, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA
(9) 2019 International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology (ISWE) People’s Choice Presentation Award, South Africa
(8) 2018 Presidential Medal “Nepal Vidya Bhushan” Category A (Ka), The Government of Nepal (for the research merit)
(7) 2018 Chemical Ecology Postdoctoral Fellowship, DST-SERB project, India
(6) 2017 International Arbor Assays and International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology Travel Grant Award, USA
(5) 2011 International PhD Fellowship, Indian Institute of Science, India
(4) 2010 Faculty-wise First Rank, Kurukshetra University, India
(3) 2008 Silver Jubilee Scholarship, Government of India and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), India
(2) 2002 The Bahini Fund Scholarship (for meritorious girls), USA
(1) 2002 District Merit Rank (women category) in SLC exam, Nepal
[Received University-level awards for poetry, prose, essays, arts, public speeches and photography]
Academic services
2025 – ongoing Guest Editor: Special Issue on 30 Years of Elephant Conservation in India (Journal of Wildlife Science)
2022 – ongoing Associate Editor: European Journal of Wildlife Research
2021 – ongoing Review Editor: Frontiers in Conservation Science
2022 – ongoing Member of IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group (SSC)
2024 - ongoing Member, EvoThan: Comparative Evolutionary Thanatology Collective, Japan
2015 - ongoing Member of International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology, USA
Reviewer: ~45 manuscripts
Applied Ecology | Royal Society Proceedings B | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A | Animal Conservation | Animal Behavior and Cognition | Applied Animal Behaviour Science | Conservation Physiology | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | International Journal of Primatology | PeerJ | PloS One | Scientific Reports | Wildlife Research | Zoo and Wildlife Medicine | Journal of Wildlife Science | Evolutionary Psychological Science | Integrative Conservation | Journal of Biosciences | Primates |
International Conference abstract reviewer:
2024 Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS), 15th edition
2023 Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS), 14th edition
2021 Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS), 12th edition
2021 The International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology Virtual Event
2019 The 7th Conference of International Society of Wildlife Endocrinology, Kruger National Park, SA
Language proficiency:
Nepali (Native speaker), Sanskrit (fluent in reading), English (fluent), Kannada (fluent), Hindi (fluent), Japanese (learner)
Conference and workshops:
2024 Core-organizer, International Symposium on Comparative Evolutionary Thanatology, Kyoto University
2022 Workshop resource person, Humboldt Nepal-Germany Initiative for capacity building of female researchers
2021 Organizing team member, VIII International Conference on Mammoths and their Relatives
2018 Organizing team, Workshop for Stakeholders on Reducing Train-Elephant Accidents in N. West Bengal
2016 Workshop resource person, Student Conference for Conservation of Science-SCCS
2010 Organizing team member, WWF-Nepal Rangers’ training on Gharial conservation and management
Courses (2025 onwards):
Environmental Ecology 01 (Kyoto University)