grantees » Karthik Raja

Karthik is an Indian environmental educator dedicated to Biodiversity Research and Education in the Palni Hills, part of the Western Ghats. He is a Project Manager in the Palni Hills Conservation Council, a grass-roots NGO doing various work for sustainable development on a shoe-string budget in Tamil Nadu, India. Karthik specifically focuses on mangrove documentation and conservation in Tranquebar. He also spearheads the movement to educate the youth for a more sustainable future. His nominator, R. Kannan, explains just how involved his really is: “Karthik devotes all of his time to building a team of committed youth in the field of biology and environmental education based on coastal and marine resources”.

Already a guide and mentor, Karthik improved his skills as a trainer and as a source of knowledge for the youth with the support of the JWH initiative. He also undertook specific research about the biodiversity of mangrove regions, collaborating with other NGOs and expanding his network. Besides increasing his capabilities as an educator, this also allowed him to apply his newly-learnt advanced conservation techniques. The JWH initiative grant also gave Karthik the opportunity to collect the tools that have proven invaluable in field studies and awareness programs, and “now it leads me to continue to improve myself as a wildlife photographer”.