Kirtiman Awasthi is climate change and sustainability professional. He has spearheaded project management, strategic planning, policy advise, community support, collaborative partnership & resource mobilisation covering issues of climate adaptation & resilience, climate risk management, climate finance, DRR and sustainable development. He has been advising national and state-level partners in strengthening and operationalisation of State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCCs) including capacity development, accessing national and international climate funds and mobilising private sector financing for climate action.

Kirtiman Awasthi has been part of the UNFCCC processes where he covered issues of adaptation, loss & damage and capacity building and supported the Durban Platform process. Kirtiman is an avid biker and loves to travel especially in mountain regions. He is an alumnus of Wageningen University, in the Netherlands.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Kunal is an interdisciplinary professional with 8 years’ experience and an in-depth technical knowledge on development and implementation of projects in the field of climate change and natural resource management. His expertise lies in using research and data-driven tools such as modelling, geospatial analysis and environmental finance instruments for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation and management. Kunal’s systems approach to natural resource management spans across disciplines given his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai followed by a Master’s in Environmental Studies and Resource Management from TERI School of Advanced Studies.

Email: kunal.bharat@giz.de

Shambhavi has been working in the inter-disciplinary field of natural resource management for more than five years. Her work with development cooperation has equipped her with a better understanding of government processes that drive policy interventions. Her core interest includes conservation planning through community engagement, stakeholder management and heritage documentation.

Prior to GIZ, she worked in the Natural Heritage Division of INTACH for projects on wetlands, sustainable agriculture, and nature-culture documentation. She has also previously interned with NITI Aayog and JNCASR. She holds a postgraduate degree in Environmental Studies and a graduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Delhi.

Email: shambhavi.krishna@giz.de

Yaiphaba holds a Master's degree in Environment Management from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun and a Bachelor's degree in Physical Science from Hansraj College, University of Delhi. He started his professional journey at Wetlands International South Asia supporting the coordination of the Asian Waterbird Census. He also served as the Assistant Advisor for Asia-Oceania at the Ramsar Convention Secretariat where he gained extensive experience in dealing with intergovernmental processes. And prior to GIZ, he worked with WWF-India as Manager-Wetlands, where he supported the implementation of the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) in India. Yaiphaba is a passionate environment conservation professional and enjoys bird watching.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Suddhabrata did his Masters in Ecology and Environmental Studies from Nalanda University, focusing on Environmental History and Political Ecology. Under the Wetlands project, he will be supporting the Wetlands division of MoEFCC. Previously, he worked with the Access and Benefit Sharing Partnership Project under the GIZ as an Intern. Prior to GIZ he has worked with the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary and has been involved in grassroot level wetland conservation in North 24 Paraganas, West Bengal. He is keen to apply his socio-cultural understanding of wetland ecosystems in policy processes.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Utkarsh specialises in people-centered domains of capacity-development and project coordination, while holding prior experience in research-oriented roles at TERI and CEEW. Previously, he completed a Master’s Exchange in Environmental Policy at Sciences Po, France, and joined the Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands at Tour du Valat. At the Mediterranean Alliance, he coordinated an international network of 32 civil society organisations dedicated to wetlands and contributed to the network’s advocacy processes.

His other educational qualifications span across disciplines with a Bachelors in Zoology from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Liberal Studies—the Young India Fellowship—from Ashoka University.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Sanjay holds a Ph.D. degree in Forestry with specialisation in Landscape Ecology and has an extensive experience of 18 years spanning in the fields of integrated natural resources management (INRM), climate change adaptation, forestry, agroforestry and rural development sectors. He has been involved in designing, management and implementation of various projects in these fields.  He started his profession with NGOs and later worked with research institutions and GIZ. Prior to this GIZ assignment, he has worked with the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) for research management in South Asia.  At ICRAF, he was also leading the Sentinel Landscape project in Western Ghats - which was CGIAR’s (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) flagship programme on Forests Trees and Agroforestry.

Email: sanjay.tomar@giz.de

Harish is an administrative professional with a background in coordinating office activities, managing supplies, handling customer inquiries, processing invoices, and organising events. He has previously worked with GTZ Shimla and Acme d’ace Private Limited. Harish joined GIZ in 2016, where he worked on the Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Services Project until 2020 and then on the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem Services untill 2024. In his spare time he goes for trekking and hikes.

Email: harish.kumar@giz.de

Jyoti Kashyap holds a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. She is undergoing PhD in Wildlife Ecology and Management from the same University. Since 2013, she is working as a freelancer on projects related to biodiversity conservation and management with different organisations such as IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), GFF (Green Future Foundation) and GIZ. She is specialized in vegetation science and wildlife ecology. She also gives field training about ecology and biodiversity to different groups of people such as local community, corporates and students . Her hobbies are bird and butterfly watching and travelling.

Email: jyoti.kashyap@giz.de

With great love for the field of creative design, Aashima’s interest lies in combining various facets of the traditional world with modern techniques of communication. She has completed her undergraduate degree in Communication Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kangra. She likes working with different aspects of design like graphics and displays, along with photography, management and advertising. As an intern she worked with the HP-FES project to prepare outreach material for the village communities and photograph the project’s demonstration sites. Prior to GIZ, Aashima interned with NEst by Arpit Agarwal, a lifestyle brand inspired by the culture and crafts of the North-East, at Guwahati (Assam), and at the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department in the fields of marketing and promotion.

Email: aashima.negi@giz.de

Meenakshi is a graduate in Botany (Hons.) from Gargi College, Delhi University and a post graduate in Forestry from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. She has been working in the field of environment and forestry from past 6 years. Prior to GIZ, she was working in MoEFCC as UNDP Consultant looking after Sustainable Development Goals and international agreements related to Environment. She has also worked with Delhi Forest Department and at Natural Heritage Division of INTACH.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Dr Atul has a doctoral degree in Agricultural Economics with more than 15 years’ post-doctoral experience in project management for projects on agroforestry, agriculture research and development and rural development sector. Prior to GIZ, he worked as a researcher and Project Manager in national and international organisations including National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research Institute (ICAR- NCAP, New Delhi, India), CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research)- ICARDA and CGIAR-World Agroforestry (ICRAF).

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Neha is a Natural Resources Management (NRM) professional with over 11 years of experience working on participatory biodiversity monitoring, management for ecosystem services, climate change adaptation and communication. She holds a master’s degree in NRM from TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi. Prior to GIZ, she was involved in various capacities with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), National University of Singapore (NUS) and Winrock International India. Neha is an avid reader, likes to cook and enjoys weightlifting.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Suresh Kumar is currently based in Dehradun. He brings over 16 years of experience working with organisations such as the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Samsung India and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA. In his free time, Suresh enjoys playing cricket, volleyball and golf.

Email: suresh.kumar@giz.de

 Much of Angel’s work as a gender and equity specialist is deeply rooted in her identity as an indigenous Meitei woman from Manipur in northeastern India. One of her most formative memories is accompanying her mother to the vibrant “Ema Keithel,” or mother’s market -Asia’s largest women-run marketplace. Despite the many inequities women face in Manipur, Angel has always drawn inspiration from their resilience. This continues to guide her work today.

Before joining GIZ in 2025, Angel served as Gender Technical Advisor for the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in India and Bangladesh, where she led the development of gender-responsive strategies to support a just transition to renewable energy. She has also worked as a Gender Specialist at GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance in Geneva, and at UNICEF in New York.

Angel believes that women and marginalised groups have long been stewards of biodiversity. Her goal is to foster inclusive planning that draws on their knowledge of conservation and sustainable practices, ensuring their voices are central to shaping a more equitable and sustainable future.

Email: angel.konthoujam@giz.de

 I belong to Jodhpur district in Rajasthan. I completed my bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Sophia College, Mumbai, and my post-graduation in Environment Management from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. After my master’s, I interned with GIZ in the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystem Services project. My research interests are in the fields of social ecology, gender and forests, and the sustainability of social and ecological systems. Previously, I worked as a Scientific Skilled Person in the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee of Rajasthan and joined GIZ again as a Junior Forestry and Biodiversity Advisor in April 2025. I enjoy travelling, trekking and playing basketball.

Email: yashaswini.choudhary@giz.de

Pradnya is an agriculture engineer. She has completed her B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering and M.Tech in Soil and Water Conservation Engineering from Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Rahuri. Prior to GIZ, she worked with the Watershed Organization Trust for 3 years. She has worked on development of a mobile application for agro advisories to farmers, training and capacity building of farmers for climate resilient agricultural activities and economics of land degradation. She has also worked on impact assessment of watershed management projects with the help of Remote Sensing and GIS, soil health and GHG emission assessment from agricultural fields.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Dr. Stefanie Preuss holds a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and has worked for more than six years as a research assistant in the Institute for Food Hygiene (University of Leipzig, Germany). She joined GIZ in 2011 and has since held posts in environmental projects in West Africa as well as in South and Central America, where she covered a variety of topics including environmental & biodiversity monitoring, and management of protected areas. In addition, she supported the German Environmental Ministry as Policy Advisor. Currently, she is working as a Senior Advisor and the Team Leader for the project “One Health and Agroecology”.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Vimarsh grew up mostly in Delhi NCR, with some childhood years in Pilani, Rajasthan, and Lagos, Nigeria. During his pre-teen years in Nigeria, he was exposed to its forests and urban biodiversity. This experience, along with countless hours watching Animal Planet and National Geographic, inspired him to pursue a career in conservation.

Joining GIZ India in 2018 allowed him to turn that passion into action. He worked on the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation in India project, supporting capacity development, policy interventions, and implementation in Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Karnataka. Currently, he support the One Health and Agroecology project as a Forestry and Biodiversity Advisor, overseeing the project’s capacity development portfolio and biodiversity initiatives in Madhya Pradesh. Outside work, Vimarsh find joy in exploring zoological parks and nature reserves, which are constant reminders of what drew him to this field.

Email: vimarsh.sharma@giz.de

Roshan holds a Master’s degree in Science with Wildlife Management as a major, and is also a registered pharmacist by his undergraduate qualifications. He has worked with multiple Government and Non-government sectors on Wildlife related projects pan India. He was a part of All India Tiger Monitoring Project, Climate Change Cell of Karnataka Forest Department (EMPRI), and has worked in international organizations such as the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP), and Global Tiger Forum (GTF). Previously, he was with the Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation project and was the state coordinator for Karnataka and West Bengal. In his free time, Roshan listens to rock and instrumental music and passionately follows all major sporting events.

Email: biodiv.india@giz.de

Dr. Sivaraman Balaji holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, India. He began his career with the Indian Council of Medical Research in 2020 and contributed to the field of HIV, STIs and COVID-19 epidemiology, laboratory networking, and health system strengthening. He has also worked with the National Centre for Disease Control, India where he delivered his expertise in various National Zoonotic Disease Control Programmes towards implementation, inter-sectoral coordination, laboratory strengthening, disease surveillance, diagnostics and capacity building. Since December 2023, he has been an integral part of the IGBP Team. Dr. Balaji aspires to dedicate his career to the betterment of society and promoting healthy living.

Email: bio-div@giz.com

Nidhi grew up in military cantonments across India, surrounded by green spaces that developed her connection with nature. This early exposure sparked her interest in the environment and conservation. As an Advisor for the One Health and Agroecology project at GIZ, she supports national partners in project implementation. Nidhi holds a postgraduate degree in Natural Resource Management and has over seven years of experience working with various ministries and departments of the Government of India.

Beyond work, she enjoys photography, capturing field stories, and exploring nature through leisurely walks. Nidhi believes in the healing power of nature and its role in mental well-being. What motivates her is the opportunity to support conservation efforts by learning from local communities and traditional knowledge.

Email: bio-div@giz.com

Angi grew up in a small village in Saarland, Germany, where her early interest in animals and agriculture led her to become a veterinarian. She currently works as an Advisor for the One Health and Agroecology Project, focusing on technical backstopping and project management.

Since joining GIZ in 2021, Angi has contributed to the Sector Initiative One Health and the Global Programme Pandemic Prevention and Response, providing technical and policy advice on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), One Health Governance, and Veterinary Public Health.

Previously, she researched drug-resistant pathogens and collaborated with NGOs such as Vétérinaires sans Frontières Germany and Naturschutzbund Germany.

Angi's passion for nature began early - she organised forest waste cleanups as a child and now enjoys hiking in the mountains, where she finds inspiration in alpine flora and fauna. She is passionate about finding practical, cross-sector solutions that promote the health of people, animals, and the environment.

Email: angela.schug@giz.de

Kapil is a development professional with over 27 years of experience in sustainable agriculture, horticulture, watershed management, and rural development. He has helped set up more than 40 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) across India, improving market access and incomes for smallholder farmers.

Email: kapil.pagnis@giz.de