Anushka Rege's Journey: Lab to Konkan's Forests
Career Story
As a child of a single mother, I grew up with my maternal grandparents while my mom juggled her work along with looking after me. Although my childhood was rough in parts, I still find it beautiful in its own way. This is because, although I had my share of struggles, I also got to grow up around my grandparents which has its own beauty. I spent summers visiting our native place in Goa, taking a walk among the paddy fields and forests, with my grandfather narrating to me the tales of the leopards he had seen during the British Raj. His own father had worked in the Forest Department of Karnataka before Independence, and he had a rich treasure of tales that I regret not documenting very well. I clearly remember in my 7th grade, our English teacher introduced us to Gerald Durrell, and there was no looking back. I wanted to be like him, spending my time around animals and lush forests. I was 12 back then.
Fast forward 3 years later, I scored well in my 10th CBSE exams and ended up taking Physics-Chemistry-Mathematics-Biology like many others. I wanted to pursue Arts but taking the PCMB route was a ‘safe’ option. I loved biology but didn’t enjoy the other subjects as much. I had no interest in studies and was so restless. I scored distinction by a whisker, thanks to biology and the languages. But everyone else thought, ‘this is so bad, you were a topper’’! I didn’t care but did feel a little bad about letting family down. Initially, my family was rightfully concerned about my passion for wildlife biology – how would you earn? they said. Some ‘well-wishers’ did their fair bit to add oil in the fire. But as time went by, my family was convinced and became my biggest supporters. In retrospect, it all seems really funny, and I laugh it off.
I ended up studying Microbiology during my Bachelors in Fergusson College in Pune. These were among the best years of my life. I studied, played Basketball, learned Taekwondo, participated in fests and volunteered for a nature education NGO. I wanted to try everything I could, and it was fun! I had a great peer group who were into nature as much as I was, and we would explore the tekdis (hills) around Pune for birds and butterflies and go on treks. Many asked me why I did microbiology if I wanted to pursue wildlife biology. For them, I had one response: Is science really so boxed and compartmentalized? Even today, I feel that my experiences in a Microbiology lab, such as pipetting carefully or streaking a petri plate, have taught me values such as meticulousness and patience, which help me in my field work in the forest. I must mention my teacher Saylee Ma’am here. In my Bachelors time, she stood by me through my good and bad times – I often think of the time when she excused me out of a class to talk to a wildlife biologist so I may prepare better for my Masters’ exam. Thanks Ma’am! I also remember my times volunteering with Dr. Vidya Athreya – she would take me along for her field work around places like Daund, Indapur and Satara. I learned so much about interacting with local communities thanks to her.
“When self-motivation was low, I only had to look around – I have been lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful inspirations”
The 3 years went by, I did well, and I got a wonderful opportunity to study Wildlife biology and conservation (Wildlife Conservation Society India & National Centre for Biological Sciences Bengaluru) for my Masters. Those were among the hardest years academically for me- I was new to academia and its ways. Sometimes I felt I know nothing compared to my peers – this was my imposter syndrome talking. I remember failing one exam and passing some by a mark- I felt I did not belong here! But when the time came for us to do our dissertations, I also realized what my strengths were – we need to bank on these, while acknowledging that none of us are perfect. I share this because I feel like sharing the struggles is also important while sharing good stories. Looking back, I feel I became so much stronger in those 2.5 years. I got the opportunity to roam across so many beautiful places in India. As I spent the summer of 2015 backpacking across Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Assam, I thanked life for bringing me to this stage where I could see places in person which I had only seen in National Geographic documentaries before.
For my MSc dissertation, I studied how terrestrial mammals made use of cashew plantations and forests in the Tillari landscape in south Maharashtra, India. This work was among the first few pieces of work that suggested that mammals were making use of cashew and that there is potential for cashew plantations to be home for biodiversity if managed well.
If you like reading research papers, here is the link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2020.556942/full
If you like reading popular articles, here is another link: https://www.sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/article/cashew-feni-and-forest-tales
I followed this up with short 4-month work stints in Dehradun and Port Blair. Both experiences gave me a wonderful peek into the cultures of these places – I remember the resilient women farmers of Kumaon and Garhwal, and the fishing communities of Port Blair who were so warm. I earned field memories that I carry with me till date.
I enrolled for a PhD in Nanyang Technological University in 2018 and am planning to submit my PhD thesis by June 2022. Pursuing a PhD was a natural progression, it allowed me to work closely in the Konkan landscape that I so dearly love and where my curiosity for the natural world was first born. Presently I am studying ‘the social and environmental impacts of cashew monoculture expansion’, which means I study how wildlife and people of Konkan are affected by intensive cashew farming, grown without any mixing of other crops. I feel privileged not only because I have the local ties to Konkan, but also for the exposure to a global scientific community. I plan to continue my work in this landscape. Over the past 6 years I have received the love and support of locals in Sawantwadi and Dodamarg, which has made this place home. One need not change the world; you could change or help one person or a village- and that still makes all the difference. I learned this from my field assistant Narayan Desai, who is a father-like figure to me. Since 2016 he has learned field techniques, camera trapping, supports women in the field and wants to actively contribute to conservation today.
As I have grown and changed through my journey so far, I have seen two women close to me change and grow- my mother and grandmother. My mom changed from a woman who was concerned about my choices, to a woman who saved up enough to send me on two safaris in Tadoba and Nagzira at a time when savings were lean. She remains my biggest pillar of support. My grandmother similarly went from doubting these choices to being a woman who can now confidently tell you a thing or two about conservation and what a field biologist does. The two of them have even visited my field site!
When self-motivation was low, I only had to look around – I have been lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful inspirations – all my classmates in my Masters’, and women wildlife biologists and scientists like Dr. Aparajita Dutta, Dr. Vidya Athreya, Dr. Divya Mudappa and Dr. Nandini Velho, my PhD advisor Dr. Janice Ser Huay Lee, and many more than I could possibly mention here. May the tribe grow! If asked about my career choices, I will confidently say I would do this again, again and again – not a day has passed when I have regretted my journey.
Edited by: Pratibha Siwach
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