Sanctuary | Cover Story
be fooled by her 1.2 m. frame – her
deep understanding and knowledge of
Ranthambore’s fl ora and fauna can give
your average naturalist a run for his or
her money.
A Kids for Tigers student, Jyoti has
been an active participant of nature
trails conducted by the programme
coordinator Goverdhan Meena.
Charmed by what the natural world
has on off er in her glorious part of the
world, she rapidly learnt all about the
plants and animals regularly spotted
along these trails. So fi erce was her
dedication, that in no time Jyoti took
charge, leading students from her
school into the fascinating world of
nature. From assisting Goverdhan
Meena to coordinating nature trails,
Jyoti has become a local favourite.
With her principal’s support, she now
conducts trails for other schools
from the locality, some of which see
attendance by teachers as well. With
this, Jyoti has casually accomplished
the feat of uniting children and adults
over and for nature, a task that most
conservationists struggle with for years!
A budding playwright, our youngest
naturalist of the year also writes plays
on conservation issues. The storehouse
of talent that she is, she has won
accolades for her oratory and writing
skills. We await the day when Jyoti
Sharma will stand at the frontline of
conservation in India, but even now,
we stand in awe of the charisma,
knowledge and grit of this young gun.
And for this, we honour her.Vaishali Rawat
Writer, conservation advocate
changemaker
When she was 16, Vaishali Rawat saw
two roads diverge in the yellow woods.
Five years later, she stands inspired
and proud, having traversed the road
less taken.
Currently handling media, outreach
and science communications for
the Wildlife Conservation Society-
India, Vaishali is taking conservation
and wildlife issues to the masses
through written and photo stories.
Armed with a critical mind and a sharp
pen, she has had articles featured in
Sanctuary Asia and other publications
like Nature inFocus.
Though her interest may lie in
igniting minds through her words, her
prowess extends well beyond. Through
her time in college, Vaishali actively
volunteered across diff erent disciplines
of conservation, gaining invaluable
exposure and experience: she learned
ecological fi eldwork on carnivore
occurance in the Kanha-Pench
Landscape with the WCS; understood
the basics of animal-handling at the
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT);
and battled the soaring temperatures
of the Thar Desert while participating
in the annual survey of the Great
Indian Bustard. When in the fi eld, she
engages with various stakeholders,
scientists, forest guards and locals,
gathering a wide array of perspectives,
which have allowed her to form her
own, unbiased views. She has beenequally invested in the non-glamorous
aspect of conservation advocacy,
a lot of which includes tedious
desk and paperwork. Through her
journey, Vaishali has had her
passion molded by accomplished
conservation journalist, Prerna Singh
Bindra. Under Prerna’s mentorship,
she has drafted stories on wildlife
news and policies, served as the
assistant editor of the journal
TigerLink for three years, and delved
into the nuances of natural resource
management in India.
Early on, she learned that while
there was increasing research on
wildlife and conservation in India,
very few eff orts were being made
to communicate its signifi cance to
the public. She pursued this work
throughout her time at the UNESCO
Centre of the Wildlife Institute of
India, as well as through the education
and awareness programmes at
MCBT. As Vaishali’s appreciation
for India’s staggering biodiversity
grows with every new adventure, so
does her discontentment with the
underrepresentation of environmental
issues in the mainstream media.
Shoulders squared, she is striving to
popularise conservation and create
a groundswell of public support for
the natural landscapes on which we
all depend. A young woman of worth,
we’re certain that whenever she fi nds
a fork in the road, she will choose the
one less travelled.
And for this, we honour her.LEFT: YOUNG NATURALIST AWARD Just thirteen years old, Jyoti Sharma conducts nature trails for students from the locality and is uniting children
and adults for nature,
RIGHT: YOUNG NATURALIST AWARD As Vaishali Rawat’s appreciation for India’s staggering biodiversity grows with every new adventure, she is
striving to popularise conservation and create a groundswell of public support for the natural landscapes on which we all depend.
COURTESY: VAISHALI RAWATGOVARDHAN MEENA