I was born and brought up in the Indian city famously known as the "City of Nawabs", Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. It was my very first book on wild animals that induced in me the curiosity to know more about wildlife and its nature. I started collecting pictures of wild animals from any print media I encountered (even a medicine desk calendar!). The city of Lucknow, though famous for several things  did not provide with many avenues for furthering my interests and only during my second year of graduation I struck upon an opportunity to further this passion. I had read about and travelled to many protected areas across India in my early years but mostly from a tiger centric liking of the wild spaces. 

My Masters coursework and research helped me better understand and hone my skillset as an Ecologist. Having heard from my parents about Dudhwa National Park from a tender age of five years, I was fortunate enough to work there for my postgraduation research and contribute in the conservation of this lesser known habitat of the Terai.