SESSIONS
Nature Quiz
15th Nov
8:00 - 11:30 AM
Wingmasters | The Ultimate Inter-School Bird Quiz
Wingmasters is an exciting, high-energy inter-school quiz designed to test students’ knowledge, curiosity, and passion for birds.
Early Bird - Nature Conservation Foundation
Host
Registration
Film Screening
15th Nov
11:45 - 12:00 PM
Kadu Kadar Ongal
Set in Kerala’s Western Ghats, this film traces the Kadar community’s transformation—from being blamed for the decline of great hornbills to becoming protectors of forests and birds.
Aravind Mohanraj
Presenter
Key Note
15th Nov
12:00 - 1:00 PM
The Present and Future of Indian Environmentalism
Examining India’s environmental movements from Chipko to climate change, Ramachandra Guha highlights the intersection of conservation and social justice.
Ramachandra Guha
Speaker
Lunch
Panel Discussion
15th Nov
2:00 - 3:00 PM
Blurring Boundaries: Where People and Nature Meet
A panel exploring the human world, animal world and everything in between.
Dr Tarsh Thekaekara
Panelist
Shailesh Shrivastava
Panelist
Iravatee Majgaonkar
Panelist
Sara
Host
Talk
15th Nov
3:00 - 3:30 PM
Nature through the Eyes of a Youngster
Teen naturalist and author Ishan Shanavas shares stories and photographs from India’s wild spaces, reflecting on how nature shaped his adolescence and continues to inspire him.
Ishan Shanavas
Speaker
Break
Panel Discussion
15th Nov
4:00 - 5:00 PM
Emerging Technologies and Conservation: A Fraught Promise?
This session explores how emerging technologies like AI, bioacoustics, and genomics are reshaping wildlife research, ethics, and collaboration for inclusive conservation.
Seema Lokhandwala
Panelist
Ganesh Raghunathan
Panelist
Dr Tarsh Thekaekara
Host
Key Note
15th Nov
5:00 - 5:45 PM
Emergence of novel foraging skills in the urban monkeys
Dr Mewa Singh explores how animals adapt to forests and cities, develop new foraging skills in urban spaces, and why conservation strategies must differ across these environments.
Dr Mewa Singh
Speaker
Break
Film Screening
15th Nov
6:00 - 7:15 PM
Wild Tamil Nadu
Wild Tamil Nadu takes you through the state’s rich landscapes and wildlife, revealing the stories of its wild spaces.
Rohit Varma
Presenter
Kalyan Varma
Presenter
Break
Award ceremony
15th Nov
7:30 - 8:30
Nature inFocus Photography Award Ceremony
The 2025 Nature inFocus Award Ceremony showcasing the best images and stories from this year’s contest.
Kalyan Varma
Presenter
Registration
Film Screening
15th Nov
10:30 - 11:00 AM
First Look: NiF Film Grant Showcase
Watch exclusive trailers from the Nature inFocus Film Grant Fellows and hear from the Fellows themself!
Mukesh Kumar Mahato
Presenter
Kalyani Nayak
Presenter
Mauyresh Hendre
Presenter
Rohit Varma
Moderator
Talk
16th Nov
11:00 - 11:30 AM
Beyond the Wild : A fireside chat with Romulus Whitaker and Janaki Lenin
An intimate chat exploring the life stories, experiences, and conservation journeys.
Romulus Whitaker
Speaker
Janaki Lenin
Speaker
Rohit Varma
Moderator
Talk
16th Nov
11:30 - 12:00 PM
Great Nicobar Island's Great 'Galathea Bay' Con
The session exposes legal violations and misuse of science behind Great Nicobar’s ₹92,000 cr mega project, threatening Galathea Bay, once key nesting site for Giant Leatherback turtles.
Pankaj Sekhsaria
Speaker
Talk
16th Nov
12:00 - 12:30 PM
Storytelling of Science and Ecology
From forest paths to science benches to National Geographic assignments, this talk explores how evidence becomes image and how careful stories can inspire action.
Prasenjeet Yadav
Speaker
Lunch
Talk
16th Nov
2:00 - 2:30 PM
Charting the Untamed: The Bedi Legacy
The Bedi Brothers share four decades of wildlife filmmaking—stories, challenges, and moments that brought India’s wildest landscapes to life.
Rajesh Bedi
Speaker
Naresh Bedi
Speaker
Panel Discussion
16th Nov
2:30 - 3:30 PM
Shifting Frames: The Transformation of Indian Wildlife Films
A panel exploring how Indian wildlife filmmaking has transformed over the past 1–2 years.
Sara
Speaker
Sugandhi Gadadhar
Speaker
Rana Belur
Speaker
Ashwika Kapur
Speaker
Samreen Farooqui
Speaker
Kalyan Varma
Moderator
Talk
16th Nov
3:30 - 4:00 PM
The Hidden Trade
Jose Louies explores the hidden world of wildlife crime and trafficking, uncovering how illegal trade threatens species, ecosystems, and conservation efforts.
Jose Louies
Speaker
Break
Panel Discussion
16th Nov
4:30 - 5:15 PM
Nature in the Headlines: Nuances of Nature Journalism
A panel exploring the challenges, ethics, and nuances of bringing nature and wildlife stories to the public.
Virat Singh
Speaker
Preeti Zachariah
Speaker
Dr Ravi Chellam
Speaker
Dr Vidya Athreya
Moderator
Film Screening
16th Nov
5:15 - 6:30 PM
Cauvery - River of Life
The story of the mighty Cauvery River, a lifeline shaping extraordinary ecosystems and nurturing an astonishing diversity of wildlife.
Sara
Presenter
Key Note
16th Nov
6:30 - 7:15 PM
Importance of Visual Communication
Explore how powerful visuals can inspire awareness, emotion, and action in conservation through the lens of wildlife photography.
Dhritiman Mukherjee
Speaker
