People Involved
Avinash Krishnan
National Director, Chief (Conservation Science) & trustee
Avinash initially joined A Rocha India in 2007 and has served in several capacities to establish the organisation. He is an alumnus of the post graduate programme in Wildlife Management and Conservation from the
University of Reading, United Kingdom.
Avinash is based in Bangalore and has been studying human-elephant interactions for the past 17 years, he has played a vital part in establishing baseline research and conservation practices in the Bannerghatta-Hosur Landscape. Avinash is a member of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, and has aided in the formulation of national and international level guidelines in the management of Asian elephants in their range states and countries. At present, he holds advisory roles with leading conservation NGO’s and State Forest Departments. He is keen to conserve endangered wildlife species and protect the important biodiversity regions of India.
Dilip Kumar A.V.
Division Manager and Senior Research Officer
Dilip Kumar has had an extensive career in the field of zoology, in particular, he has focused on finding resolutions for human-elephant conflict. With his background in wildlife and a decade of experience in the Bannerghatta-Hosur Landscape, he has gained valuable insights into elephant behaviour, corridors, barrier assessments and stakeholder interactions. Currently, Dilip is our Division Manager and Senior Research Officer and continues to dedicate his efforts towards understanding elephants and implementing strategies to minimize Human – elephant conflict.
Sagarika Phalke
Communications Officer (Consultant)
Sagarika Phalke has been associated with A Rocha India since 2013 working on the long-term elephant conservation project at Bannerghatta National Park. With a double MSc in the Psychology of human-animal interactions (University of Stirling, UK) and Counseling Psychology (Bangalore University, India), her interest lies in the human dimensions of conservation. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies at the University of Hong Kong focusing on the concept of elephant individuality and its potential to influence interactions with humans. In addition to conservation she also works on captive-elephant welfare. Her long-term research focus is on understanding and improving conditions for captive elephants which experience differing levels of welfare due to their interactions with humans.
Priya Anna James
Project Manager
Priya holds a masters degree in Biodiversity, Wildlife Conservation and Management from Mumbai University. She completed her thesis on primate-human interactions in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and realised she had a keen interest in studying animal behaviour. Priya started her career interning for projects in Human-Wildlife Conflict mitigation in Maharashtra, social and sign surveys in Madhya Pradesh and captive animal management work in Pretoria, South Africa. She has since worked at BNHS as a Junior Research Fellow in the collection department. She now holds the position of Project Manager at A Rocha India, working on several conservation, environmental and social projects within the A Rocha framework.
Amrita Nair
Project Coordinator (Consultant)
Amrita holds a masters degree in Ecology and Biodiversity from the University of Brussels, Belgium. She is extremely passionate about exploring the intricacy between the natural world and human societies. Amrita now serves as a project coordinator at A Rocha India. Her primary focus is on wildlife conservation and strives to foster a harmonious relationship between humans and the environment, while driving impactful positive change.
Alisha Krishnan
Administrative assistant
Alisha Krishnan completed her BA in Journalism from the National School of Journalism and Public Discourse, Bangalore, India, 2022. She previously interned at Care Well India Trust as the Social Media Manager. Alisha is passionate about writing and photography and has always had a deep interest in wildlife which lead her to find A Rocha India.
Being the only person on staff not from a biology background, Alisha brings a much needed and unique perspective to the functioning of our team. She handles most of our administrative work as well as supports our communications and media staff.
Sudhamshu Rao
Conservation Officer
Sudhamshu has a Masters in Wildlife Science from Amity University Noida. His passion for wildlife started at a young age with a fascination towards the natural work. He also has a keen interest in canine behaviour and training and has pursued several certifications for the same. After working in a corporate environmental organization in his early career, Sudhamshu joined A Rocha India for a 3 month internship working on select human-wildlife mitigation projects. He has since joined staff full time to learn and further pursue his passions as a field based conservation biologist.
Lochana R
Programme Officer
Lochana holds a postgraduate degree in Zoology and has a deep-rooted passion for entomology, biodiversity, and ecology. She is actively involved in engaging with citizen scientists and is committed to inspiring young minds by educating them about the importance of biodiversity.
Her research focuses on understanding the activity and seasonal patterns of butterflies, contributing to broader knowledge of ecological dynamics.
Beyond her professional endeavours, Lochana enjoys trekking and traveling, exploring the beauty of nature firsthand. She is also a skilled Carnatic classical singer, blending her love for music with her appreciation for the natural world.
Sandhya Mohanakrishnan
Media Officer
Sandhya M has an undergraduate degree in B.Sc. Film Technology, specializing in cinematography. She is passionate about wildlife and visual storytelling, she combines her love for nature with her interest in filmmaking to create impactful narratives. Sandhya has been recognized as the Best Candidate in one of the editions of the Mysore Zoo Youth Club, showcasing her dedication to wildlife conservation. She has worked as Director of Photography on several short films and an upcoming independent feature film.
Currently she is working with A Rocha India as a media officer and handles all of our branding, communications and story telling through the lens of her passion for wildlife conservation.
Consultants
Mr. Sanjayan KP has been part of BSF service and has since his voluntary retirement acquired multiple training certifications and titles in canine training. He has provided trained working dogs for service to the government of India and for the protection for two consecutive Prime Ministers. His expertise lies in training dogs for varied fields of service, including tracking and scent training.
Mr. Dinesh G has been working as positive enforcement canine trainer for the past 18+ years. He is best known for his work in the canine conformation industry and is one of the most sought after trainers in the country as a champion handler. He also has experience in training sniffer dogs, canines for bomb squads & personal protection dogs.
Ms. Mili Gandhi has worked in corporate finance in the real estate and hospitality verticals. Her expertise lies in Operations and running people centric organisations. She has been volunteering time with canine rescue and wildlife organisations over the years and helps in fund raising, capacity building and operations.
Mr. S J Chander a Public Health Professional primarily engaged in the voluntary sector for more than three decades. He holds M.Phil in Sociology and PG Diploma in Community Health Management from Christian Medical College, Vellore. His areas of expertise include Training, Policy Advocacy, Research, Networking and Project Management. He held senior level positions with organisations such as SOCHARA, Association of People with Disabilities, Child In Need Institute, Institute of Public Health, Employees State Insurance Corporation Project on Reproductive and Child Health and HIV. Since 2019, He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Sustainable Health India.
Sandilya Theuerkauf is a sculptor, restoration ecologist and educator who grew up in rural Kerala, deeply influenced by the surrounding hilly rainforests, streams and wildlife. Currently based on the outskirts of Bangalore, he draws inspiration from the Deccan scrublands, utilizing natural materials like thorns, wood and bark to create intricate assemblages. His art highlights overlooked elements of the natural world, crafting unique, densely woven thicket-like tapestries that invite viewers into a meditative experience.
Sandilya is also working as a restoration expert with A Rocha India, contributing to the Grassroots Afforestation Program. He advises on native species selection and guides the team with ecological restoration theories and practices, enriching the project with his expertise.
Dr. Anita M. George is a distinguished marine biologist and Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence fellow at Stony Brook University, New York. Her research focuses on sponge microbiomes and metagenomics, aiming to enhance oceanic knowledge and biodiversity. With over 300 research dives, Dr. George has explored diverse marine environments across India and beyond, contributing significantly to sponge taxonomy and ecological studies. As a mentor, she is dedicated to empowering young women in science, advocating for resilience and passion in pursuing marine biology careers. Her work highlights the critical role of sponges in marine ecosystems and their potential in climate change research.
Mr. Sharath Babu has extensive experience as a consultant and advisor, including roles with Bengaluru Kempe Gowda International Airport Ltd., the Police Academy APTS, and WWF Traffic for South India. He served as the Environmental Advisor at BBMP and has over 9 years of hands-on experience in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, working with over 180 species. Recognized with the Prakruti Mitra award, he has built a volunteer base of over 8000 individuals in Bangalore and established a 24-hour helpline primarily for snake rescue.
© 2025 A Rocha India
National Office & Field Study Centre
#13, Kaserguppe Village,
Bilwardahalli (Dakle), Bannerghatta (Post),
Jigani (Hobli), Anekal (Taluk),
Bangalore South-560083
Karnataka – IN