People

Founders

kamal_bawa
Kamaljit S Bawa
President Emeritus, ATREE & Distinguished Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston
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KN Ganeshaiah
Distinguished Honorary Fellow, ATREE 
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Uma Shankar
Former Professor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Board of Trustees

Prof_Balaram-ATREE
Balaram
Chairperson, ATREE & fmr. Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
darshan_shankar_0
Darshan Shankar
Vice-Chancellor, The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology
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Rahul Matthan
Partner, Trilegal Bengaluru
Ravi_Venkatesan
Ravi Venkatesan
Business Leader, Author and Social Entrepreneur
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Rohini Nilekani
Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
sandeep_singhal
Sandeep Singhal
Cofounder & Managing Director, WestBridge Capital Partners
Shruti_shibulal
Shruti Shibulal
CEO & Director, The Tamara Leisure Experiences
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Uma Shankar
Former Professor, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Management

Abi
Abi Tamim Vanak
Sr. Fellow & Director, Centre for Policy Design
Anita Arjundas
Anita Arjundas
Executive Director
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Aravind N.A.
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, S M Sehgal Foundation Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation
Ravikanth-G
G. Ravikanth
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, ATREE Academy
sarala
Sarala Khaling
Sr. Fellow & Regional Director
siddhappa 2
Siddappa Setty R.
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Centre for Environment and Development
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Sujata Seshan
Director, Development
Vamsi
Vamsidhar Pothula
Chief Operating Officer & Registrar

Advisory Council

Manasi_tata
Manasi Tata
Executive Director & CEO, Kirloskar Systems Ltd.
Manoj Kumar
Manoj Kumar
Co-founder & CEO, Social Alpha & Representative of Tata Trusts, Mumbai
pheroza_godrej
Pheroza J. Godrej
Founder, Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai
Raj_khoshoo
Raj Khoshoo
Venture Partner, SUM Ventures
Svranganath
S.V. Ranganath
Vice Chairman, Karnataka State Higher Education Council
Ranjit_barthakur
Ranjit Barthakur
Founder & President of the Balipara Foundation

Academic Advisory Board

sen_gita
Gita Sen
Professor Emeritus, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
NC-Narayanan
NC Narayanan
Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
paul_robbins
Paul Robbins
Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
robin
Robin L Chazdon
Professor emerita, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Connecticut
ruth_de_fries
Ruth de Fries
Professor, Columbia Univesity, New York
sudhir_chella_rajan
Sudhir Chella Rajan
Professor, IIT Madras
tamara_ticktin
Tamara Ticktin
Professor, University of Hawaii, Manoa
vijay_raghavan
VijayRaghavan
Former Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, New Delhi

Fellows

Abi
Abi Tamim Vanak
Sr. Fellow & Director, Centre for Policy Design
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Aravind N.A.
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, S M Sehgal Foundation Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation
Ashish kumar
Ashish Kumar
Fellow in Residence
Asmita Sengupta
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Atul Joshi
Fellow in Residence
Eapsa-Berry
Eapsa Berry
Fellow in Residence
Eklabya-Sharma
Eklabya Sharma
Strategic Advisor & Distinguished Fellow
Ravikanth-G
G. Ravikanth
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, ATREE Academy
soubadra
M Soubadra Devy
Sr. Fellow
Manan-Bhan
Manan Bhan
Fellow in Residence
milind
Milind Bunyan
Fellow
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Priyanka-Jamwal
Priyanka Jamwal
Programme leader and Sr. Fellow at Water and Society programme
RG
R. Ganesan
Sr. Fellow
Rajkamal
Rajkamal Goswami
Fellow in Residence
sachin T
Sachin Tiwale
Fellow
Sailendra Dewan_Fellow in Residence
Sailendra Dewan
Fellow in Residence
Saloni
Saloni Bhatia
Fellow
sarala
Sarala Khaling
Sr. Fellow & Regional Director
Seshadri-KS
Seshadri K. S.
Fellow in Residence
Sharachchandra-Lele
Sharachchandra Lele
Distinguished Fellow
Shrini
siddhappa 2
Siddappa Setty R.
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Centre for Environment and Development
siddarth-k
Siddhartha Krishnan
Sr. Fellow
Ganesh T
T. Ganesh
Sr. Fellow
Vinay sankar
Vinay Sankar
Fellow in Residence

Adjunct Fellows

ankila
Ankila Hiremath
Independent Researcher
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Bejoy K Thomas
Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune
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Durba Biswas
Independent Researcher
Ganesan-Bala
Ganesan Balachander 
Managing Director and CEO, Krishi Bounty Biotech
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Ghazala Shahabuddin
Independent Researcher
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Gladwin Joseph
Chief Project Officer, Conservation Biology Institute
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Jagdish Krishnaswamy
Dean, School of Environment and Sustainability
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Joydeep Bhattacharjee
Professor, University of Louisiana
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Kiran Asher
Professor & Chair, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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R Prabhakar
Director, Strand Life Sciences
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Rinzi Lama
Professor, University of North Bengal
seema
Seema Purushothaman
Sr. Adjunct Fellow
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Veena Srinivasan
Director, Well Labs

Visiting Fellows

Praveen-Karanth
Praveen Karanth
Professor, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Honorary Fellows

kng_0
KN Ganeshaiah
Distinguished Honorary Fellow, ATREE 
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S. Natesh
Sr. Adviser, Department of Biotechnology
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Ricky Kej
Indian Music Composer, Grammy Award Winner
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Sandesh Kadur
Director, Felis Creations

Research Associates

Abhijeet-Kulkarni
Abhijeet Kulkarni
Research Associate
Aditya-Pradhan
Aditya Pradhan
Project Fellow
Ananda Siddhartha
Ananda Siddhartha
Managing Editor, Conservation & Society
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Anuja Anil Date
Sr. Research Associate
Anushka Gurung
Anushka Gurung
Research Associate
Avantika-Thapa
Avantika Thapa
Research Associate
Chethana-Casiker
Chethana Casiker
Sr. Research Fellow
Chinta-Sidharthan
Chinta Sidharthan
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Deepthi-R
Deepthi R Shastry
Research Associate
Dipanwita-Dutta
Dipanwita Dutta
Research Associate
Dupjang Lepcha
Dupjang Lepcha
Research Associate
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Harisha RP
Post Doctoral Fellow / Project Manager (Environment and Development) 
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Hymavathy T
Sr. Research Associate
Ishwarya-Lakshmi
Ishwaryalakshmi M
Research Associate
Jagdish-Kumar-B
Jagdish Kumar B
Project Associate – II
Jyoti-Nair
Jyoti Nair
Sr. Research Associate
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Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi
Research Associate
Mujeeb-Rahman
Mujeeb Rahman
Research Associate
Pema-yangden
Pema Yangden Lepcha
Research Associate
prasanna-NS
Prasanna NS
T.N. Khoshoo Postdoctoral Fellow
ranjith.ht@atree
Ranjith Kumar H T
Research Associate & Project Coordinator
Seena-Narayanan
Seena N. Karimbumkara
Research Associate
Shruti-Mokashi
Shruti Mokashi
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Sunita-Pradhan
Sunita Pradhan
Wildlife Ecologist

Research Assistants

Aditya-Ganesh
Aditya Ganesh
Research Assistant
Esha Bhat
Easha Bhat
Research Assistant
hrid
Hritik Bhatnagar
Research Assistant
Monika
Monika K
Research Assistant
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Niranjana C
Research Assistant
Ramya Angandi
Ramya Angadi
Research Assistant
Sahanashree R
Sahanashree R
Project Associate
Sneha_Singh
Sneha Singh
GIS Specialist
Sunil-GM
Sunil GM
Project Assistant
Vivek-Murugan
Vivek Murugan
Research Assistant

Consultants

Anubhav Shori
Anubhav Shori
District FRA Coordinator
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Anushree Jadhav
Consultant
Arjun-Kannan-5
Arjun Kannan
Consultant
Keerthana
Keerthana R
Consultant
Mohit_Mahajan
Mohit Mahajan
District FRA Coordinator
Pavan-Thunga
Pavan Kumar Thunga
Consultant
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Pradeep Satpute
Consultant
Surya-Narayanan
Surya Narayanan
Consultant
Thangsuanlian Naulak

Policy

Anuja-M
Anuja Malhotra
Policy Manager
David Samson
David Samson
Field Manager (Consultant)
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Gautam Aredath
Policy Analyst
Pradeep-Bagrao
Pradeep Bagrao
Project Officer
Sachin ps
Sachin Pernacca Sashidhar
 Policy Analyst
Sangita Ganesh
Sangita Ganesh
 Policy Analyst
sanjana nair
Sanjana Nair
Policy Analyst
Santosh Telange
Santosh Telange
Project Officer (Consultant)

Development

Ashna-Soni
Ashna Soni
Development Officer
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Sujata Seshan
Director, Development
Sudha
Sudha Iyer
Consultant

Community Conservation Centre

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Jojo T.D
Project Manager, Vembanad
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Kumbhegowda
Sr. Field Assistant, MM Hills
Maadegowda
Madegowda.C
Postdoctoral Fellow and Coordinator, BR Hills
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Madesh M
Sr. Field Assistant, MM Hills
Maneeja
Maneeja Murali
Sr. Program Officer, Vembanad
Maria-Antony
Maria Antony P
Nature Educator, Agasthyamalai
Mathivanan-M
Mathivanan M
Sr. Research Associate & Coordinator, Agasthyamalai
Narayanan B
Narayanan B
Sr. Research Assistant, MM Hills
Parvathy-sundar
Parvathy Sundar
Program Officer, Vembanad
Reema anand
Reema Anand
Sr. Program Officer, Vembanad
Saravanan-A
Saravanan A
Sr. Research Assistant & Assistant Coordinator, Agasthyamalai
Thalavaipandi-S
Thalavaipandi S
Research Associate, Agasthyamalai
Thamizhazhagan-S
Thamizhazhagan S
Sr. Technical Assistant, Agasthyamalai
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Thanigaivel Annamalai
Consultant, Agasthyamalai

Communications

jaya
Jaya Peter
Head – Communications
radha
Radha Patkar
Visual Designer
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Sreekuttan
Communications Officer
Teerath-Rawat
Teerath Rawat
Assistant Manager – Communications

Academy

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Madhavi Latha
Coordinator
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Obaiah B
Sr. Library & Information Officer
Pallavi-Varma-Patil
Pallavi Varma Patil
Lead – Collaborations and Partnerships
Sriram-ravichandran
Sriram Ravichandran
Placement, Communications, and Certificate Course Manager
Ravikanth-G
G. Ravikanth
Sr. Fellow & Convenor, ATREE Academy

IT

Systems Engineer

HR

Sr. Manager, HR

Assistant Manager, HR

Accounts

Jagnnath Jha

Manager Finance

Kariappa PC

Sr. Accounts officer

Meenakshi Ambalavanan

Consultant Finance & Accounts

Radhakrishnan S

Advisor Finance

Smita Mulgund

Sr. Accounts Officer

Staff

Office Assistant

Office Executive

Sr. Executive Assistant

Indrani_2

Indrani Ravi

Receptionist

Sr. Driver

Centre Assistant Coordinator

Housekeeper

Housekeeper

Sr. Executive - Office & Admin

Sr. Office Assistant, BR HILLS

Housekeeper

Field Station Manager

Sr. Officer - Admin & Liasion

Office Manager

Assistant Cook

Head Cook, BR HILLS

Executive Assistant to COO & Registrar

Sr. Driver

Housekeeper cum Attender

Gardner

Housekeeping

Sr. Driver

Housekeeper

Housekeeper

Housekeeper

Housekeeper

Assistant Cook

Head Cook, BR HILLS

Housekeeper

Housekeeper cum Attender

Sr. Driver

Gardner

Library

Sr. Library & Information Officer

Goutham

Systems Engineer

I am a Systems Engineer at ATREE with eight years of experience designing, implementing, and maintaining computer systems, networks, and applications. I possess a solid technical background, a deep understanding of various operating systems, hardware, software, and security protocols, and an analytical mindset to approach complex problems.

As a Systems Engineer, my primary responsibility is to design and implement scalable, reliable, and secure systems and networks that meet the needs of an organization. I am skilled in developing infrastructure solutions that align with business requirements.

My passion for technology and desire to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in the industry has driven me to continuously enhance my skills and knowledge.

Shiva Subramanya .S

IT Manager

I am the IT Manager responsible for all IT and application development infrastructure, geospatial data management and technology training services at ATREE. I am a postgraduate degree holder (MBA and MCA) by education. An avid hiker and nature walker, i am also a amateur astronomer who indulges in astrophotography as a hobby. As a IT Manager i work with my team to plan, design, develop, maintain and upgrade IT infrastructure, geospatial and other applications, and as a capacity builder at ATREE i coordinate the conservation technology course for the MSc. students and a Google Outreach Trainer i train researchers, indigenous communities, students and civic groups on mobile data management techniques.

Chaitra Shetty

Senior Manager - Human Resources

Chaitra Shetty holds a Doctoral degree in Human Resource Management. Her people-centric approach has brought in 15+ years of expertise in the full spectrum of Human Resource functions. In the realm of HR, her passion has been facilitating the development of organization and individuals. She believes in learning from each other and creating a positive work environment.

Lakshmesh BR

Assistant Manager - Human Resources

Lakshmesh BR is an HR professional with over a decade of experience in compliance and HR operations. With a passion for ensuring organizations operate seamlessly within regulatory frameworks, Lakshmesh has honed his skills in fostering positive and productive work environments. Throughout his career, Lakshmesh has demonstrated a commitment to people management, guiding diverse teams towards success through effective communication, empathy, and strategic planning.

Jagnnath Jha

Manager Finance

He is master of Commerce and CA Inter with strong background in Finance and account having 8 years of experience in various segment of finance,accounts and taxation. Earlier he has worked with Biocon Ltd, Haier Appliances (MNC) there he has achieved various awards for his wonderful achievement in collaboration and success full SAP implementation.

Kariappa PC

Sr. Accounts officer

I have over 14 years of experience in the field of accounts and finance.

I have worked on branch accounting, financial accounting, MIS report and regulatory functions, Statutory & FCRA compliance

I have been actively involved in preparation of Financials statements, Auditing, Procurements, Banking, fixed asset reconciliation, Annual income tax filing & FCRA

My hobbies include doing agriculture, trekking and reading books.

Meenakshi Ambalavanan

Consultant Finance & Accounts

A passionate, result-oriented Chartered accountant professional with over 24 years of extensive experience in taxation and audit, specializing in banks, companies, PSUs, and military units. My expertise extends to Indian and foreign taxation matters, NRI taxation, and foreign remittances.

Radhakrishnan S

Advisor Finance

Radhakrishnan is a Chartered Accountant. Initially, he worked for a few years in Professional Firms. Thereafter, he worked for almost two decades at an MNC in various roles across Finance and Operations. For over a decade now, he has been engaging independently with start-ups, not-for-profits and SMEs.

As a dedicated Financial Advisor, he blends his knowledge and experience in finance with a genuine commitment to making a positive impact.

Smita Mulgund

Sr. Accounts Officer

Office Assistant

Office Assistant

Ajay Singh

Office Executive

I am from Uttarakhand and starts working in ATREE Delhi office from November 2012. Prior to this I have worked in Ram Chandra and Company, Charted Accountant. I am handling all office running and maintenances work. My hobbies are playing football & reading books. I have passed Senior Secondary School Examination from National Open schooling in 2014.

Hemalatha G

Sr. Executive Assistant

Hema has over two decades of experience in Administrative positions. She is a seasoned professional who provides comprehensive support as a Senior Executive Assistant. She excels in coordinating and priortizing multiple tasks to ensure seamless operations and maximise efficiency. Hema thrives in fast-paced environments and adept at anticipating needs, proactively problem-solving and adapting to changing priorities.

Hema loves spending time with her family and reading.

Jadeswamy

Sr. Driver

Jadeswamy did his 4 th Standard He is working at the Field Station of Ashoka Trust for Researh in Ecology and the Environment Atree Vehicle Driver 26 year experiences working at Atree .B.R.Hills Driving with very nice poto gapers,Researchers,Student,Atree Guest and Non Atree guest helping Sam time other researchers helping

Usha H

Centre Assistant Coordinator

Kumari

Housekeeper

Kumari is a member of our housekeeping team, with a tenure of 4 years. Hailing from a farming family in Kunigal, she deeply appreciates the green and natural ambiance of the office. Beyond the aesthetics, what truly makes her job fulfilling is the camaraderie she shares with the people, which adds to her enjoyment of her work.

Lakshmi

Housekeeper

Lakshmikanthaiah.N

Sr. Executive - Office & Admin

I am working in ATREE for 23 Years

Lalitha R

Cook

Fondly known as Lalitha ‘akka,’ she became a part of ATREE as a cook back in 2016. While her culinary responsibilities demand dedication, she derives joy from sharing her cooking with everyone. She passionately remarks, “I take pride in warmly welcoming each person who comes for lunch. I strive to provide a relaxing and enjoyable meal experience, alleviating any work-related stress they might be facing.”

Madha

Sr. Office Assistant, BR HILLS

Mr.Madha did his 5 th Standard he is working at the Field Station of Ashok Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in B.R.Hills as a Field Station Office Assistant.He has 25 years experience working in B.R.Hills . Guest house clinging, Garden clinging, sam time cooking work,cloth washing Adavi all working helper.

Munirathnamma

Housekeeper

Munirathna works with the housekeeping team at the hostel. She finds immense satisfaction in working alongside her dedicated team. The amicable nature of both our staff and students fosters a comfortable and harmonious work environment, which she greatly values.

Rajanna. D

Field Station Manager

Rajanna.D did has PUC He is working at the Field Station of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in B.R.Hills as Field Station Manager. He has 27 years of experience working in Atree B.R.Hills, Accounts, Vehicle, Field Assistant, Office Assistant and Cook maintenances. Visitors, Atree researchers, PhD Students, Atree and Non Atree Gust maintenances Adavi Accounts, Courier Atree Bank work, Electricity bill payment, garden maintenance.

Rajinder Singh

Sr. Officer - Admin & Liasion

I am from Himachal Pradesh and starts working in ATREE Delhi office from October 2008. Earlier to this, I have worked in Ministry of Environment & Forests. I am handling the liaison work with our Government & Private Donors. In addition to this I am taking care day to day running work of office.

Ramesh N

Office Manager

Rekha

Assistant Cook

Rekha has been a part of the ATREE team for a year now. She initially worked at the home of an ATREE employee. During a period of financial hardship, the compassionate employee, along with some colleagues, offered her much-needed support. Today, she expresses her contentment in being part of a workplace surrounded by such kind-hearted individuals.

Renuka

Head Cook, BR HILLS

Renuka did her 5th Standard is working at the Field Station of Ashok Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment in B.R.Hills as aField Station Cook she is 15 years experience working at Atree B.R.Hills my work Field station cooking ,Guest house clinging, Garden clinging, Atree Researcher,Students Atree guest Non- Atree Guest maintenance, night time watching and Field Station other working.

Ruby Margret

Executive Assistant to COO & Registrar

Ruby brings over 20+ years of progressive experience having worked across diverse sectors including; Architecture, Aviation, Education and Event Management. She has a proven track record in supporting C-suite executives and senior leadership teams, managing stakeholder engagement, HR operations, coordinating high-profile events and conferences. Ruby excels at ensuring seamless operations and cultivating productive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. She is a self-made professional with leadership skills, excellent communication abilities, keen attention to detail and adept at multitasking. Her other interests encompass blue pencilling, content editing, conducting research and drafting. Ruby is dedicated to continuous learning, embraces broader responsibilities and leverages her skills to make impactful contributions in any role.

Umesh MC

Sr. Driver

Sunitha. K

Housekeeper cum Attender, CERC

Venkata Raju

Gardner

For an impressive span of 12 years, Venkat Raju has nurtured our gardens with utmost dedication. Hailing from a background in Chikkaballapur’s farming, he speaks of his role with profound sentiment, “Beyond being a mere job, caring for the plants is akin to tending to my own children. Witnessing them flourish brings me immense joy and fulfillment.”

Meena R

Housekeeper

I have been working in ATREE for 18 Years

Sharadamma

Housekeeper

Working in ATREE for the past 2 years.

Obaiah B

Sr. Library & Information Officer

Obaiah B has MSc in Library and Information Science from the University of Mysore and a PG Diploma in Information and Knowledge Management from the Indian Institute of Science. He also cleared UGC-NET-JRF.

As ATREE’s Senior Library and Information Officer, Obaiah’s main task is to establish a world class library facility. He has continued to improve and expand our library resources through his prolonged interest in knowledge organization, digital preservation, digital archives, and perpetual access to scholarly content. He has also designed and implemented a union catalogue of multiple independent libraries of Bangalore using Koha and Open Harvester and he trained many young professionals in the latest library technologies.

Before joining ATREE, he trained at the JRD Tata Memorial Library, Indian Institute of Science (IISc). During the course on Information and Knowledge Management at the erstwhile National Centre for Science Information, he had a great opportunity to learn and obtain hands-on experience with many open source tools, such as ePrints, Dspace, Drupal, Zoomla, WordPress, Moodle, LOCKSS, Open Journal System, Open Harvester and Koha. In addition, he learned many Linux-based servers, especially Fedora 5-12 version and Open BSD, Redhat Linux, Ubuntu, CentOS, and Debian.

In 2008-09, Obaiah was associated with the “Digitization of Manuscripts in South India” project, which is part of the National Mission for Manuscripts, Government of India. He led a team of 12 technicians on image enhancement techniques and digitized one million manuscripts and he brought to light and saved numerous important traditional Indian knowledge sources to the society, which were otherwise hidden in isolated dark rooms.
In addition to this, Obaiah has cultivated an impeccable fascination with literature, with that passion he wrote and published an outstanding work Kannada novel Bayakeya Benneri in 2022, that has been widely acclaimed by Kannada readers across the state of Karnataka. Being a sensible human he constantly expresses his views on contemporary social issues in his blog named “nannanisikegalu”.
Obaiah has also written poems and short stories in Kannada which can be read on his blog “nannanisikegalu”. In 2022, during ATREE’s 25th-anniversary celebration, he penned a song named “ATREE Anthem” that has been applauded not only by the ATREE community but the wider audience across the disciplines. Apart from his literary writings, he has kept the intention of becoming a good motivational speaker in Kannada, engaged in screenplay writing for the Kannada cinema, and also calls himself a political strategist. Obaiah spends his time reading books, writings, and visiting tourist places with his friends and family members.