Email: apaul@grassrootsindia.com

Anita Paul is Director (Community Initiatives) in Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation (Grassroot), Ranikhet, Uttarakhand. She is involved in organising networks of women in the Himalaya, with the primary idea of empowering them to harness their energies and engage in bringing forth change and development at the grassroots in languishing river basins.

She has created network of over 2,000 women who are currently scaling-up rural business initiatives in the central Himalaya from Rs. 5.00 million per annum to Rs. 50.00 million per annum. She has been involved with the un-organised sector in rural India for almost three decades. For the past twenty years, she has been spreading the concept of holistic mountain development in the central and western Himalaya, through a non-profit organisation Grassroots which she co-founded in 1992.

Alongside, Anita is involved with the eco-restoration of Gagas river basin in Almora district of Uttarakhand, wherein a range of appropriate technologies are being adopted by communities in order to adapt to climate change issues, especially with the aim of restoring the hydrology and thereby improving the food security scenario. Anita has participated in some of the very prestigious programs like IWRM, Swiss Centre for Hydrology, Switzerland; Environmental Leadership Program, University of California, Berkeley, USA; Women & Peace, The Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria; and UNESCO-HELP Symposium, Johannesburg, South Africa. She did her graduation in Sociology and masters in Social Works from Delhi University.

Email: anjulit@rediffmail.com

Dr. Anjuli Agarwal is Associate Professor in G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar since May 2003. Earlier she joined the University as a Lecturer in 1993. At present she is posted at one of the research stations of the university, Agricultural Research Station, Majhera for the past five years.

She has established Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory at ARS, Majhera and producing at present plants of Bamboo and Ginger. She is also doing work on in vitro conservation of Dactylorhiza hatagirea, an endangered medicinal plant of High Himalaya. She has handled and completed various projects funded by various agencies. She has successfully transplanted micro propgules of bamboo in field.

She has attended and presented papers in more than ten National and International conferences. She has participated in four training courses of 21 days duration each. She has, recently, participated in a Bamboo Study Tour organized by INBAR at Zejiang and Sichuan province of China.

Dr. Anjuli Agarwal has Masters and Ph.D. Degrees in Biochemistry from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.

She is actively involved in extension programmes, Television and Radio talks.

Email: saruscrane@gmail.com, friendsforanimals@gmail.com

Mr. Arvind Sharma is currently a Chairman of Himalayan Nature Society since March 2005. He is working on some projects relating to Animal Birth Control & Rabies Eradication, Documentation of Bird species “Birds and Kangra”, Conservation of Traditional Water sources, Age Care (home based nursing), Eco-Club formation and Micro Insurance cover for the poorest Gaddi Tribes. Earlier, he was Project Coordinator (Environmental Education) in WWF-India Shimla and also served for some time in Eagle’s Height Trekkers.

He has organized a number of programmes relating to environmental conservation viz. awareness generation, transfer of appropriate technology in Gaddi and Gujar Tribes of Dhouladhair region. He has also experience in working for environment with some of the leading National and International Organizations and State Government organizations like – Wildlife Trust of India, Bombay Natural History Society, M.C. Mehta Foundation for Environment, Vani, Pria, WWF-India, WSPA, International Animal Rescue, Forest Department Wildlife Wing and H.P State Council for Science, Technology & Environment.

He has organized various workshops, awareness events about the importance of the green forest cover and human activities affecting the climate, focusing schools and college community. He has also organized a short course on “Use of Environment Law for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development”. Arvind is a self motivated, inspired and fascinated by nature and its natural beauty. Having an attraction and respect for nature, he is determined to do something worthwhile for the betterment of nature.

Email: ashish.fri@gmail.com

Mr. Ashish Rawat is working as a project Associate in the Ecology & Environment Division of reputed Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. He is working on ecological & geological aspect of landslide problem in Garhwal Himalaya.

Mr. Rawat has taken up several studies related to role of native plant species to mitigate the landslide problems. He is having keen interest on the studies relating to impact of global valuation of landslide resources, bio-stabilization of landslide areas and ecological & economical valuation of landslides.

Mr. Rawat has also done work on Municipal Solid Waste Management and eco-restoration of derelict Mined areas. He has conducted some studies on ethorobotanically important plant species particularly high altitude medicinal species in Uttarkashi district of Garhwal Himalaya.

Mr. Rawat has published research paper in journals of National and International repute. Recently he attended a training programme on science for rural societies in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

Mr. Rawat has a post graduate degree in Environment science and pursuing his Ph.D. from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun on the topic “Growth Behaviour of some Shrubh in relation to parent rock, soil & Plant nutrient status on landslide areas of Garhwal Himalayas”.

Email: shiva_rd_7o@yahoo.co.in

Mr. Ashutosh Tripathi is a student of Environment Science in Department of Environmental Sciences University of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Along with some of his friends, he has conducted some programmes like “Prayas-A STEP” which is dedicated towards spreading awareness among college and university youths. This programme emphasized those environmental problems, which are associated with our daily life particularly to the issues of Climate Change – its causes and consequences.

He has also raised a major ecological issue like deforestation and presented a paper on Eco-development of a degraded green zone- A lost way of blind development, in a national symposium, organized by Indian Institute of Applied Science, Allahabad.

He was also associated with a NGO ‘Samaj Pragati Sahayog’ and worked in the field of Watershed Development.

Mr. Tripathi has a post graduate degree in Environment Sciences and is currently perusing Post Graduate diploma in Environment & Sustainable Development.

Email: patwalb@yahoo.com, bharatpatwal@gmail.com

Mr. Bharat Patwal is Executive Director of Institute for Development Support (IDS), Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. He started his carrier as Development Professional under the guidance of well-known social activists and development professional Dr. Swami Manmathan, a founder of SBMA. Before, joining IDS, he has been associated with several National / International organizations such as SBMA, HARC, South-South-Solidarity, Knowledge Links Pvt. Ltd and Center for Development Studies, Uttarakhand Academy of Administration, Nainital.

He has planned and implemented various participatory development projects in the field of environmental conservation, education, livelihood, women empowerment and water & sanitation at grass root level. He designed and facilitates training and capacity building programs for the project staff, NGOs and community members involved in community based participatory development project, action research and studies conducted in the field of watershed management, human adaptation, Himalayan Central Heritage, wool industry, forest conflicts, tribal culture and natural disaster. Dealing with the challenges of climate change, he has developed a model of rooftop rainwater harvesting system for demonstration and developing a nursery of 1 Lac saplings managed by Women Self Help Groups.

He has participated in several training programmes.

Bharat is a trained Anthropologist. He has Masters Degree in Anthropology from H.N.B. Garhwal University Srinagar, Garhwal.

Email: bhaskar_upreti@rediffmail.com

Mr. Bhaskar Upreti is currently a Staff Reporter of Daily ‘Hindustan’. As a reporter he is looking after the subjects like Forestry, Environment, Technology, NGOs, Literature, Art and Music. During his college days he was an active student activist. Before taking up Journalism, he was a Lecturer (English) in Navodaya Vidyalaya, Pithoragarh. He adopted this profession on account of raising the issues of land, water and natural resources of Himalaya. He was also involved in editing of Magazines like ‘Campus Reporter’, ‘Javan life’ and ‘Seema’ during his student life. He was also involved in State agriculture magazine ‘Uttara’.

Bhaskar has attended various workshops and programmes relating to village development, women and underprivileged section of the society. He always wished to become a professional and social activist who brings the creativity of common people to limelight. He also has a great wish to spread awareness among the people towards environmental conservation particularly climate change.

He has dual Masters Degrees in English and Hindi from Kumaun University, Nainital. He also holds a degree in education and pursuing his Doctorate in Literature from Kumaun University, Nainital.

His hobbies include media reporting, writing and trekking.

Email: drdds62@rediffmail.com

Dr. D.D. Sharma is a Senior Scientist / Professor in the field of Agricultural Extension in Department of Social Sciences, UHF, Nauni (Solan) HP. He Joined as Assistant Scientist (Agricultural Extension) at Regional Horticultural Research Station, Sharbo, Kinnaur, HP. He has more than 20 years of Research, Teaching and extension experience.

He has organized various training programmes, demonstration, adaptive trials, field visits on the spot guidance etc. for the farmers, field level functionaries of the state Department of Agriculture, Horticulture & Forestry. As a nodal officer (Youth Information Center) he is engaged is the task of creating awareness among the youth & above HIV AIDS, as a programme officer National Service Scheme (NSS) he is actively engaged for various social services like environmental preservation, cleanliness, blood donation, tree plantation, anti smoking, anti drug and anti polythene etc.

Dr. Sharma has guided 15 PG students, attended 20 International & National Conferences/Workshops/Seminars, published one book, two practical manuals and 80 research & popular articles. He has been awarded ‘Young Scientist Award by Indian Society of Extension – Education, December 2006.

Email: dhaniarya@gmail.com

Mr. Dhani Arya is presently working as Executive Director of Society for Environmental and Village Advancement (SEVA) Mundali, Chamoli. He is actively engaged in various environmental awareness programmes particularly climate change issues.

Mr. Arya has organized various village level training programmes on environment & natural resource management, staff trainings on key environmental issues like environment, livelihood, and NRM, and environmental awareness programmes for students.

Mr. Dhani has Masters Degree in Botany in 2004 from Kumaun University, Nainital. He has completed and submitted his thesis for doctoral programme in Botany in 2008 to H.N.B. Garhwal University Srinagar, Garhwal.

Gopal Singh Dev is a GRAM PRADHAN (Village Head) of Bajina village. Basically, he is an active farmer and actively involved in environmental conservation efforts.

He has been associated with CHEA through its Social Group activities since 2000 and working on various climate related issues. He is presently working for stabilizing landslides through plantation of suitable species, plantation of multipurpose species according to climate. Further, he is also involved in sustainable utilization of forests.

Mr Singh has received Bronze medal in 2005 from Indian Vegetable Research Institute, Varanasi. In the year 2005, he has also worked as trainer on above subject for various village stakeholders, and representatives.

Shri Jagat Singh ‘JANGLI’ is prominent environmentalist of Uttarakhand. He is a great advocate of mixed forests and received a great success in increasing forest cover. He developed a technique of Forest-agriculture without harming forest trees, which has helped not only in livelihood generation but also in ground water recharge. In addition to this he is also engaged in cultivation of rare-endangered medicinal plants like Saussurea costus (Kuth), Picrorhiza kurrooa (Kutki), Potentilla spp. (Bajradanti), Dactylorrhiza hatagirea (Salampanja) etc.

He has actively contributed towards protection of forests. Further, he has successfully transplanted high Himalayan plants in mid Himalayan belts. He has replicated mixed Forest model in various other places too and thus, enhanced people’s participation in the region.

Presently he is associated with HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar for developing a mixed forest model for the wasteland available in the university.

Shri Singh has been awarded with more than 35 times for his contributions to different environment related activities. Some important awards include ‘Gauradevi, Uttarakhand Gaurav, Him Gaurav, Green Award, and Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Brikshamitra award 2000’.

Email: singhj@icfre.org

Dr. Jagdish Singh is Scientist in Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla (H.P). He has a vast experience of working for the sustainable development of rural ecosystems and communities. He has successfully implemented many research projects and plans with the objective of achieving sustainable development and augmenting rural economy.

Mr. Singh has more than 15 year of research experience in the field of forestry. He has been actively involved in environmental awareness generation. He has organized a number of trainings on Natural Resource Management and has been involved in creating and spreading Environment Awareness among villagers, students, teachers and other stakeholders.

Mr. Jagdish Singh has Masters and M. Phil Degrees in Botany from Punjab University Chandigarh. By education and profession he has been contributing in sustainable forestry in the HImalayan region with keeping rural communities in center of development. By education and profession he has been contributiong in sustainable forestry in the Himalayan region with keeping rural communities in centra of development.

Email: karma.and.prayes@gmail.com

Manish Khanna is a qualified chartered accountant with extensive, vast and varied experience in auditing of entities involved in climate change and sustainable livelihood. During the course of professional assignments,
Mr. Khanna has gained in-depth knowledge of issues related to climate change affecting society at micro levels, especially rural areas. As a keen believer in managing climate change at micro levels, he has also organized an afforestation drives by funding from own resources.

Manish regularly gives monetary assistance to rural communities from his resources with a view to enable them to acquire new means of sustainable development and improve livelihoods. He has a keen ineterest in the inter-relation of environment and rural livelihoods which has inspired him to get associated with various developmental organizations in the HImalayan region..

Email: manojbtt@gmail.com

Mr. Manoj Bhatt is Executive Director of RACHNA. As an orator; writer and social entrepreneur, Mr. Bhatt has been leading social movements, public policy campaigns, projects and organizations for sustainable development of the Himalayas. He has also been associated with Shri Bhuvneshwari Mahila Ashram (SBMA). His work has been recognized by several national and international organizations. He has represented the Central Himalayan region in the Rio+5 Earth Summit organized by the UNGASS in 1997.
Mr. Bhatt has worked with Future Generations, USA as special fellow for one year to become master trainer in SEED-SCALE (a methodology of community development and applied conservation). He was a fellow of Rainer Arnhold Fellows Program of Mulago Foundation, USA for two years to work on effective design and strategy for conserving Himalayan ecosystems.

Mr. Bhatt earned his Masters Degree in International Affairs (MIA) in 2005-07 from School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University, New York. In the same year Mr. Bhatt received Environment Protection through Incentives for Conservation (EPIC) Luce Foundation Special Fellowship Award by Columbia Business School to write case studies on Van Panchayats (Forest Councils). His academic and networking work for the Himalayas was recognized by the University and awarded him Progressive Sustainability Award for 2007. Mr. Bhatt also did a certificate course in Asset-Based and Citizen Driven Development (ABCD) from Cody International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada in 2008.

Email: Megha.fri@gmail.com

Ms Megha Rawat is pursing her Ph.D. at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun on the topic “Diversity Biomass & Productivity of the herbaceous vegetation in the Natural Forest and Grassland Ecosystem of Kujapuri Hills “Garhwal Himalaya” since 2005. She has extensively worked in different forests including biodiversity conservation / restoration in relation to climate change and prospects and repercussion of ecosystem and sustainable management of the natural resources.

She obtained her Master Degree in Botany from H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar in 2004. She has also been engaged for about 3 years in the restoration of Kujapuri Siddhapeeth Hills following Badrivan Restoration Approach. She has successfully implemented various restoration measures in the region and transformed the fragile hilly slopes into diverse vegetation cover.

She is making an attempt to understand and address the problems of the region by encapsulating the above mentioned components in her present research work.

Ms Rawat has attended various seminars at national level and presented many research papers.

Email: ns_rautella@rediffmail.com

Mr. Narendra Singh Rautela is presently serving in GIC, Tharu, U.S.Nagar as Assistant Teacher (Science / Maths) and also holding a position of Block Science Coordinator in Khatima Block. Before joining Government service, he has been an active member of Lok Chetna Manch and engaged in environmental conservation activities. He still took keen interest in environmental conservation and remained actively involved in various Government driven environment conservation programmes. He is a trained Environment teacher. He has received training on Eco-Club from Government of India and, since 2002 he is serving as a Eco-Club I/C in the school. He has successfully organized the National Environment awareness programmes in Kausani and Khatima in 1999-2000, 2003-04 and 2004-05.
He was selected as an In-charge of U-Probe Weather Observatory under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Education Directorate, Uttarakhand. Later on he received training on Weather Observatory from Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi from 05.09.2005 to 17.09.2005. Since then he is he is collecting and studying climate and weather data with the help of students and trying to see the changes taking place and to address their answer.

He presented a research paper on “ Environmental Awareness in different social groups” in IVth National Teacher Science Congress, organized by Department of Science & Technology, Governemnt of India from 25th & 27th November,2007 in Dehradun.

He has been nominated as a best science techer by Science & Technology council for his tremendous efforts in Science and environment. Education Director, Government of Uttarakhand has also given him Certificate of honour.

Mr. Rautela holding Masters in Economics and Social Science, a degree in education and a Diploma I Environment from Indira Gandhi open University, New Delhi. Currently he is pursuing a course on Disaster management from IGNOU. He has also attended many training programmes and workshops.

Dr. P.C. Joshi is reader in the Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, Gurukul Kangri University Haridwar, Uttarakhand. He has been actively working for the last 23 years on insect eco-biology and biodiversity. He has carried out his most of the research studies in Western Himalayan region including the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and Rajaji National Park. Currently, he has projects from various funding agencies including UGC, M/O Environment and forests, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and Uttarakhand Council for Science and Technology, in order to carry out research studies on effects of changing environmental conditions due to the various anthropogenic activities on insect diversity, selection of habitat by butterflies and role of insects pollinators etc. Dr. Joshi is also carrying out studies to find out the concentration of different air pollutants in the ambient air atmosphere and their effects on vegetation. Some of his findings have already been published in the journals of national and international repute. He has so far 62 research papers, 3 text books and 2 edited proceedings to his credit.

He is a Managing Editor of one of the National Scientific Journal for last 8 years. He is a member of 06 Scientific and Academic bodies and has been conferred honorary fellowships by 4 societies. As an active participant in National and International conferences, Dr. Joshi has attended 42 conferences / workshops at national and international level and was awarded young scientist award for best oral presentation during a national seminar on Biodiversity, Environment and Biotechnology in the year 1998. Zoological Society of India has felicitated him with Gold medal in 2001 and in 2007, he was awarded the Madhavi Shyam Gold Medal for his contributions in the field of Entomology. He is a recipient of prestigious fellowships like BOYASCAST Fellowships of DST, GOI and Colombo Plan Fellowship of British Council and GOI. He has visited more than a dozen of foreign Universities of six countries, attended training programmes on Biodiversity and Conservation in UK & USA.

He has Master’s and doctorate degrees in Zoology from Kumaun University, Nainital. He has successfully completed certificate courses on natural resources and biological monitoring of forests from IIRS Dehradun and WII, Dehradun, respectively.

Email: pankutewari@gmail.com

Dr. Pankaj Tewari is Senior Project Manager in CHEA, Nainital an organization working in Central Himalayas since 1981. He has worked as research fellow at N.D.U.A.T., Faizabad. His area of work was indo-gangetic plains to study genetic characters of Shisham (D. sissoo) and change occurring due to various environmental alterations. The standardization of nursery techniques was also conceded for successful plantations in Usar soil of eastern U.P. He was awarded Ph.D in forestry from Kumaun University. His research papers have been published in renowed national and international journals. He was also associated with Centre for Development Studies (CDS), UAA, Nainital for two years.

He has a vast experience of working with rural community on various livelihood improvement programmes through sustainable usage of natural resources and strengthening of Van Panchayats. He has facilitated various Programmes at state level for spreading climate change awareness and sustainable development. He has also presented papers on livelihood issues and 03 papers have been published in national and international precedings.

He focused on convergence with government departments and institutes for maximizing output. Studies on climate change effect over cropping and forest ecosystems were studied for appropriate technology intervention.

Presently he is engaged in developing field based ecological inventory and biodiversity register through participatory approach. Various aspects of climate change and its impacts on flora, fauna, humans and C- sequestration. studies are also made. To aware community for extension of sustainable models and conserving the ecosystem biodiversity, various booklets has been published. Recently he made presentation on watershed and agribusiness management “Enhancing Livelihood” workshop at Dehradun.

He is mainly interested in environmental modeling; other hobbies include sports and adventurous activities.

Mr. Prabhu Dayal Sharma is the Director of Parvatiya Jana Shiksha Evam Vikash Sangthan. He is working in the organization for the last 18 years. He has been associated with various civil society organizations. In initial years he tried to organize youths and women organizations. He did a lot to identify area specific problems and to find out the answers of such problems.

Mr. Sharma has been engaged in the spread of environmental awareness among people for Himalaya and its climate. He has mainly worked in Hilly regions and addressed the problems of water, climate change, forest and safety measures.

At present, he is involved in the formation and strengthening of Self Help Groups (SHGs), water management through rain water harvesting, off-season vegetable cultivation, medicinal plant cultivation, technical trainings, farmers club and local resource utilization.

Email: prachi_env@indiatimes.com

Dr. Prachi Singh is General Manager in A-one Trading Corporation Halldwani (Nainital), a small-scale industry involved in trading of timber and manufacturing of furniture and wood wool. Her key responsibilities are to deal with pollution emission from industry and to ensure it is within prescribed limits. She is an advisor to Vivekanand Education Society and guides them for Environmental Awareness programmes to be carried out amongst the students of two schools at Haldawni (Inspiration Academy and Bal Bharti Vidya Mandir) and one (Bachpan-A play school) at Rudarpur. She also organize interactive discussion and lectures with teachers & students on regular basis and supervise them for their Eco-club activities like celebration of Eco-festivals, organization of essay and drawing competitions based on environmental issues. She is also planning to undertake Systematic Environment Auditing programme including assessment of drinking water, Air, Noise, Solid waste and quality of schools.

Prachi has a Masters’s degree in Environment Science from Gurukul Kangri vishwavidyalaya and Ph.D. in Bioscience from Banasthali Vidyapith. She has also qualified NET exam of UGC in Environmental Science. She is recipient of young scientist award by Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India for participating in an orientation course on “Biochemical Prospecting of Plant Resources” a contact programme for young scientists organized by TBGRI, Thiruvananthpuram, Kerala in 2002.

She is a god gifted artist & poetess, and remains actively involved in sketching portraits of National Leaders and famous personalities as well as writing poems on many issues close to her heart.

Mrs. Rama Bisht is a social worker and working in Himalayan Hills for the last 15 years in the far flung villages. From her childhood she was very active and participated in social development programmes and had determined to work for the people and environment of the rural Himalaya. She has always been closed associated with nature and has developed her vision right from her childhood to serve the nature.

Mrs. Bisht involved in spreading environmental awareness through cultural activities in different villages. She also formed 15 Nav Yuvak Mangal Dal to ensure environmental sustainability.

She has actively involved in cultural conservation particularly of folklores, folk dances, and also on environmental conservation. She has participated in many environmenatal awareness programmes at village level.

She has vast experience of working in developmental projects regarding Child Development, Adult Education and Youth Welfare. She has actively been associated with Anti-Alcohol movements. She has also participated in State Level Herbal Expo– Uttarakhand Expo 2005-2007 and been awarded State Level Herbal-Vaidya Certificate.

Email: rhinoraboo@yahoo.com

Dr. Ravindra Kumar Joshi has been working as a Research Associate for last two years in Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development (GBPIHED), an Autonomous Institute of Ministry of Environment & Forest Govt. of India.
Recently he has published paper in a booklet “Suryakunj Ex-situ conservation and Nature Interpretation Site” based on his studies on butterflies and birds of the Kumaun hills. Besides this he is also associated in editing a book published by institute.

Dr. Joshi did his Masters and Ph.D. in zoology from Almora Campus College, Kumaun University Naintal. He has actively participated in adventure sports during his college time. He has experience of working in the Himalayan Mountain regions, which include surveying fish fauna of river ecosystem, water quality, trekking in high attitude, glaciers and wildlife photography.

Email: rohit@seedsindia.org

Mr. Rohit Devlal is presently working as Regional Coordinator with Sustainable Environment & Ecological Development Society (SEEDS), which is a non-governmental organisation working in the field of disaster management since 1994. SEEDS adopt a multi-hazard locally based approach seeking to empower communities through awareness generation, training and action.

A post graduate in forestry with specialisation in economics & management from Forest research Institute, Dehradun, Mr. Devlal started his career with Gujarat Institute of Development Research, a premier research institute (GIDR) of ICSSR working in the field of development research. After GIDR, he worked with Uttarakhand based non-governmental organisation called appropriate technology India (AT India) before joining his present organisation. At AT India Mr. Devlal had an opportunity to handle all the three divisions of the organisation i.e. Research, training and Livelihoods.

During his tenure at AT India, he was very much involved in environmental and ecological research and was able to publish few papers in national and international journals. He alsoauthored some of the community resource and training manuals on environmental issues.

In his present organization he is dealing with the issue of climate change from the aspect of disaster management, as in the present global scenario, climate change is the major factor behind increase in frequency and intensities of many natural hazards, which is resulting into heavy loss of life and property apart from ecological imbalances.

Email: sachin_vaishnava@yahoo.com.in

Mr. Sachin Kumar is Personal Assistant to Principal in R.A.N. Public School, Bilaspur (U.P.) since April 2007. Earlier, he has also served as Accountant in Shirdi Industries Ltd. Pantnagar for about some time. Although He has been involved in various Social and Environmental Welfare Programmes since his childhood but it was a Doordarshan Programme of Meneka Gandhi in 1990-1991 “HEAD AND TAILS” that inspired him very mush towards nature conservation. Since then he has actively participated in societal and nature conservation programmes like District Crime Control Programme, district Alcohol Control Programme, NATIONAL CHIDREN SCIENCE-94 and 96. He has also participated in Plantation programmes in and around Rudrapur city. On account his Mountaineering talent; he was selected by Uttarakhand Government for Nehru Mountaineering Institute in 2008.

Mr. Kumar has a Masters Degree in Commerce from Kumaun University Nainital.

His key hobbies include writing, poetry, debates & discussion.

Email: safindia@rediffmail.com

Sarfaraz H. Malik is Manager (Indian Operation) in a British Handicrafts Import Company. He received Management training in International Business activity in 2004 from England. After coming back from England, he put lots of new ideas regarding environment into practice in day today activities. He has delivered many speeches in schools on climate change and visited lots of places in United Kingdom, Thailand and Nepal in relation to climate change activities. He has organized educational seminars for the awareness of students with regard to various environmental issues. Sarfaraz is now actively engaged in education of slums. He has a great circle of International friends who are creating awareness through Internet among the people.

He has also been actively associated with some other organizations like “AWESOME” and JANAPAKSH (a Hindi magazine) for a couple of years now.

Sarfaraz has organized a show on Global warming and door to door awareness on the use of CFL. He has also worked on the flora and fauna of Uttarakhand.

His hobbies include knowledge sharing among people and creating environmental awareness.

Email: shalini3006@gmail.com

Mrs. Shalini Misra Dhyani is currently working as a stringer for Down to Earth Magazine. She has a masters in Botany from University of Allahabad and currently pursuing her Doctorate (Ph.D.) in forestry. She also has done PG Diploma in biodiversity and Certifiacte in Participatory Forest Management from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.

Mrs. Salini has also worked as a guest lecturer in Department of Forestry, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar and taught policy analysis to MSc students. She has been awarded government silver medal for debate in 1995. Recently she has done a course on Agenda for Smvivali Environmental policy’s politics in India for which she received Dr. Kamla Chaudhary Scholarship in Center for Science and Environment, New Delhi.

Mrs. Dhyani is doing reearch on Forest Disturbances because of people’s interferences as well as canopy gap dynamics in Guptkashi range of Kedarnath Wildlife Division. She has also worked in various projects including a an international project on below ground biodiversity funded by United Nation.

Salini has some hobbies like drawing particularly cartoons, writing, trekking and debate.

Email: gaurmountain@yahoo.com

Dr. Uday Shankar Gaur has been working as a Lecturer (Biology) since 2003 and presently posted at G.I.C. Ghuralchuri. He did his Masters and Ph.D. in Botany from H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar in 1998 and 2002, respectively. His doctoral research work was mainly on Climate Change and Glacial Ecology.

After completion of his Ph.D. he organized various environmental awareness programmes particularly on Climate change. After joining the service, he initiated a student’s club ‘Green Club implementation Unit’ and trained the students on various environmental issues. Today, the unit is working on different spheres of environment like Study of Climate Change, generating climate data and analysis of the same. The club is also translating the environmental terminologies into local languages and thus trying to make the general mass understand the issues of environment.

Dr. Gaur’s research papers has been published in various National and International journals of repute.

Email: vikas.sadani@yahoo,com

Ms Veena Dhiman is an NGO professional and has been working for the last 15 years on various environmental and social welfare activities since 1996. She has been involved in various environment/ climate friendly activities like Biogas Plant construction, Mahila Mandals, Sanitation, Rain water harvesting. She has also done work in RCH Project. Further, she has also worked voluntarily in various Governmental Programme under Forest Department. The efforts made by Ms Veena are reflected in converting the village into saturated sanitation which was previously unaware with the sanitation facilities. She has also motivated villagers to conserve their forests by adoptng BioGas and also to reduce the health problems those occure due to smoke emission among women.

She was given the responsibility as an incharge in Daulatpur Chowk. The untiring efforts for awaring the community towards the adverse affect of waste disposal from the hospital have rewarded her and the NGO informally. To ensure the community participation in plantation various awareness programme are been organized by Ms. Veena time to time in different villages. The activity of planting medicinal plants by invovlving the community and forest department to achieve the success and to follow the participatory approach in conserving the ecosystem.

Email: vishal.the.1st@gmail.com

Mr. Vishal Singh is Research Fellow in D.S.B. Campus Kumaun University, Nainital. His present endeavor is in a collaborative project between Kumaun University and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing on National Carbon Project. The project is first of its kind in the country using eddy covariance techniques to measure the carbon fluxes between land and atmosphere. Vishal has worked in Forest Research Institute, Dehradun as Junior Research fellow in a project entitled “Forest Fires monitoring and management in Uttarakhand Himalayas” and as an intern in Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), Nainital where he worked in the project “Kyoto: Think Global act Local”. Vishal is also involved with developing and verifying new techniques to measure forest carbon stocks in the Tarai region of Uttarakhand in collaboration with the Forest Training Academy, Haldwani. He has published a couple of papers in national and international journals of repute.

Vishal was awarded the first prize in the National Conference on Ecology and Environment –Priorities 21st Century” where he presented the poster on “The Indian Himalayan story”.

Mr. Vishal Singh has Masters Degree in Forestry from Kumaun University, Nainital. He is presently pursuing his Ph.D. on a topic “Biomass stocks and carbon sequestration rates in different disturbance of Quercus leucotricophora in Kumaun Himalaya” a topic closely related to climate change and sustainable development of Himalayan region.

Vishal is actively involved with the Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR). He was the Vice President and a founder member of the Society towards Environmental Protection (STEP) a student organization which works in FRI, Dehradun for environmental conservation and climate change.

Email: Vivekanand.rvk@rediffmail.com

Mr. Vivek Kumar Rai is Lecturer (Geography) in Maa Sharda PG College Shambhu Pur, Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He has been associated with some NGOs like Purvanchal Gramodyog Vikash Sansthan and Jan Jagriti Welfare Society. He has conducted various environmental awareness programmes in far remote villages. Some of the programmes and environmental issues he has actively engaged in, are Climate Change, Drip Irrigation and vermicompost, etc. He has done a lot of activites in the region regarding ground water recharge, sustainable development and livelihood generation through horticultural crops. He has attended various training programmes, seminars and also assisted NGOs as a resource person.

In addition to awareness generation, his other hobbies include adventure, mountaineering etc.

Mr. Rai has Masters Degree in Geography in 2006 from Avadhesh Pratap Singh University, Riva, Madhya Pradesh. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Geography from Purvanchal University Jaunpur, U.P. He has received best NCC Cadet award during his college days.