Shashank Srinivasan

(1985 - 2023)

A conservation geographer and robot operator, Shanshank had an MRes in Ecology and Environmental Management from the University of York and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge. He was a National Geographic Explorer, Chevening Scholar, and a Kinship Conservation Fellow.

Driven by his ideals, Shashank founded Technology for Wildlife (TfW) in 2017, positioning it uniquely at the intersection of technical expertise and a profound understanding of real-world conservation needs. The growth and diversity of projects accomplished at TfW over the years stand as a testament to his foresight and the significance of his work.

Shashank passed away unexpectedly on 22nd April, 2023.

Read the blogs authored by Shashank at TfW here, and learn more about his work and legacy below.

A special photo exhibit showcasing Shashank’s work in Ladakh was featured as part of the GDN Conference 2023 by the Global Development Network in Quito, Ecuador, during the first week of November 2023.

Shashank’s tryst with Ladakh began in 2008 and he continued to find his way back till 2022. In his time there, he studied black-necked cranes, collaboratively mapped with the Changpa community, examined plastic contamination and tested the use of ROVs in high-altitude lakes and mapped the burrows of pika, marmots and voles.

This exhibit, curated by Supriya Roychoudhury and TfW offers a glimpse of his work in this incredible landscape.

Tributes:

Remembering Shashank: A Comrade in Conservation by Marisha Thakur published by Rainmatter Foundation on 26 April, 2023.

“Go Map The Stars, Shashank!” by Dr. Nandini Velho and Nandini Mehrotra published by Nature InFocus on 05 June, 2023.

Shashank, The Creator Of Maps And Magic by Nandini Mehrotra published by Sanctuary Asia, Vol. 43 No. 6, June, 2023.