Aishwarya Sridhar on Wildlife Conservation and Personal Growth
How does capturing tigress hunts inspire business leaders in India to protect ecosystems and drive impact?
In this episode of Be All You Can, Aishwarya Sridhar, a Nat Geo Explorer, TEDx speaker, and Wildlife Photographer of the Year, details her path from Panvel backyard wildlife to directing "Tiger Queen of Taru" and saving the Panje wetlands. Aishwarya explores ethical photography, tigress Maya’s strategic genius, and nature's lessons in patience and resilience.
Blending impact documentaries on trafficking with gear tips for harsh conditions, Aishwarya shares personal growth wisdom for business leaders in India. Her story is vital for those weaving conservation, innovation, and purpose into successful businesses and sustainable growth.
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Feb 9, 20260:02: That incident, when it played out, to me, it was like a Bollywood film drama, you know,
0:07: playing out.
0:08: Look, oh my God, here's a tigress who can teach MBA students strategising lessons.
0:15: The way she thought everything over was incredible.
0:19: For a wild animal, whom we usually typecast as a carnivore, as a predator with killing
0:25: instincts.
0:28: Hello listeners and welcome to Godrej and Boyce podcast, Be All You Can.
0:34: Your go-to destination for inspiration, motivation and unlocking your true potential.
0:40: Crouched behind shards of grass, she waits for hours on end to get the perfect shot at
0:47: her target.
0:48: A little movement in the distance indicates someone close by.
0:52: It's time for that perfect shot.
0:54: And the camera shutter clicks.
0:57: We bet you were holding your breath, wondering who our guest for today is.
1:02: Well, it's time for us to reveal that our guest for today is no stranger to the Godrej
1:08: ecosystem.
1:09: She's also a Nat Geo explorer, TEDx speaker and filmmaker.
1:14: Welcome Aishwarya.
1:15: It's so good to have you back here with us.
1:18: We should get you an honorary Godrej ID card as well now.
1:23: Welcome Aishwarya to Be All You Can.
1:25: Thanks so much Pramila.
1:27: It's wonderful to be here.
1:28: Thank you for having me.
1:29: So Aishwarya, let's jump right in.
1:32: We believe you started photography at the mere age of 12.
1:36: Tell us what inspired you to start wildlife and nature photography.
1:40: So I think the inspiration came from my own backyard because my childhood was spent in
1:45: a very green place called Panvel.
1:47: I still live in Panvel.
1:49: And I had all kinds of wildlife in my own backyard.
1:53: I remember my daddy reading to me the Mahabharata and I used to see fireflies dance on my balcony.
2:00: So that connection and, you know, being able to connect with nature at a very early age
2:06: truly helped me forge a very deep bond with wildlife and with nature.
2:12: And my father is a member of the Bombay Natural History Society, which is BNHS.
2:17: So I used to basically go with him on wildlife trips and his tours and everything.
2:22: So I began getting acquainted with nature, with wildlife, national parks and all of that.
2:29: And at the same time, I was also learning about climate change, you know, global warming
2:33: and stuff like that during school.
2:35: I began seeing those changes in the landscape around me.
2:41: So forests where I used to once play, you know, that became, that was replaced by highways.
2:47: Mangroves and wetlands gave way to polluting industries.
2:53: And I also began seeing a lot of newspaper articles about tiger poaching and tiger deaths in various national parks.
3:00: So seeing all of this transpire around me really awakened the desire in me to protect wildlife.
3:08: And at the young age of 10, 11, I didn't know what else to do apart from pick up the camera
3:13: because I felt that was the most powerful tool that I had.
3:17: And of course, watching Sir David Attenborough on television was another inspiration that made me want to grow up and be like him.
3:23: So I said, you know, why not start early, pick up the camera at this age.
3:27: So I pestered my daddy to give me a camera and he gave me as a birthday gift.
3:33: And that's how the journey began.
3:35: Oh, that's, that's so good because I'm sure most of us can relate to that being in Godrej.
3:40: At GMB, we value environment stewardship, engaging in actions that help nurture and protect the planet.
3:48: How does nature inspire you?
3:50: That's a very good question.
3:52: Nature actually teaches you a lot.
3:55: I have learned patience.
3:57: Nature teaches you resilience.
3:59: She teaches you to be perseverant.
4:02: So there's a lot of things that I have picked up personally in my life,
4:06: which is by observing wildlife and by going out on various trips to jungles.
4:13: So true.How has photography and cinematography that you do,
4:17: how has that fuelled your passion and purpose to save and protect the environment?
4:22: So it fuels on two different levels, I would say.
4:25: One is whenever I take up any project, it offers me a window into the natural world,
4:31: into this secret world of our wildlife and our biodiversity,
4:35: which a lot of people, they don't have access to this world.
4:38: I feel really grateful that I get to do this job because it offers me a kind of an access
4:44: to see behaviours which may not be documented before,
4:49: to see a very close and intimate portrait of the life of animals in the wild,
4:56: be it tigers, be it big cats that I've worked with.
4:58: So I've been really fortunate to actually see a tiger strain her cubs to hunt.
5:03: I've seen Asiatic lionesses and the pride dynamics as it unfolds,
5:10: to see the Indian leopard, which is very, very elusive,
5:14: and yet capture incredible, incredible hunting behaviour of them.
5:19: It's not just about always clicking pretty pictures.
5:22: It's about what you do with those pictures as well.
5:25: So for me, the films and the documentaries I direct and produce,
5:29: or be it the photographs that I click, they need to have a bigger purpose in life.
5:34: I kind of work in two different spheres.
5:37: One is traditional blue-chip natural history stories,
5:41: where you have pristine wildlife and amazing landscapes,
5:45: and you showcase the very pretty side of nature to the audience,
5:48: and thereby kindling a love for nature within them when they see it.
5:52: And the other side is the more impact-driven side,
5:56: which is impact documentaries, which I target in terms of hard-hitting issues,
6:01: be it environmental issues and wildlife trafficking,
6:04: human-wildlife conflict, or coexistence for that matter.
6:08: So by bringing these issues through the documentaries to the forefront,
6:12: people also realise what they're losing.
6:15: And it's not just about doom and gloom stories.
6:18: It's about rekindling hope that all is not lost.
6:21: Wow, that's so inspiring.
6:23: And you know, I've told you this before, I really envy what you do.
6:27: Being in wild Aishwarya, how do you approach capturing the behaviour
6:31: of elusive and endangered species?
6:34: That's a long process.
6:36: It starts at the desk, okay, on your laptop.
6:39: I spend hours and hours looking through websites, research papers,
6:45: reading about animal behaviour.
6:47: Then I look at the location, basically pre-visualising the kind of content
6:52: that I can capture on field.
6:54: And of course, a lot depends on luck.
6:57: If on the field I'm able to capture the kind of shots I want, great.
7:01: 99% of the time, that's not the case.
7:04: You know, the weather plays a big role.
7:06: And also, it, of course, depends on being at the right place
7:09: at the right time.
7:10: I narrate my first experience with a hunt that I saw a tigress killing
7:15: and training her cubs basically to hunt.
7:17: It was a moment which I had never anticipated would unfold.
7:21: It was by pure chance that I happened to be at the right place
7:25: and at the right time.
7:26: But I always try to ensure that whenever I'm in the field,
7:30: I'm very attentive.
7:32: I ensure my camera settings are all set before even I enter the park.
7:37: But this one particular case, I was really unprepared.
7:40: We were at a water body in Taroba National Park.
7:45: If you'll have visited Taroba, you will know the names.
7:47: It's called Pandar Pauni.
7:48: And Pandar Pauni used to be Maya's stronghold.
7:51: And Maya is a tigress, or was a tigress,
7:54: who I think the world all knows.
7:56: She's one of the most photographed wild Bengal tigresses.
7:59: She was my favourite as well among the big cats.
8:02: I'm very biassed towards her because she happens to be a tigress
8:05: I followed right from the age of 15.
8:08: So I have a very deep connection with Maya.
8:11: And I still do.
8:12: Unfortunate that she's no longer visible.
8:14: Coming back to the story, we were at Pandar Pauni.
8:17: It was mid-afternoon.
8:19: And it was afternoon safari.
8:20: We were waiting.
8:21: Her three cubs were supposed to be somewhere in the vicinity.
8:24: And we saw Maya.
8:26: She was at Pandar Pauni.
8:27: She drank water and then she disappeared behind a mud bank.
8:30: After that, a barking deer came.
8:32: He also sipped a few drops of water and then scurried right up the mud bank.
8:36: Then one of the cubs came out and sat near the water's edge.
8:40: And I was okay.
8:41: I clicked a few frames of the cub.
8:43: And I thought, okay, why not make some videos?
8:45: So I switched my camera to video mode and I just was recording.
8:49: Now out of the corner of my right eye, in my peripheral vision,
8:53: I see the barking deer jump out from behind the mud bank.
8:57: Maya chasing it.
8:59: I didn't know what to do.
9:00: Luckily, if probably I had turned my camera towards the barking deer,
9:05: I would have lost the shot completely.
9:07: But some instinct told me to stay focused on the cub, which I did.
9:11: And I saw the cub run.
9:13: The barking deer came right towards the cub.
9:15: And then the other two cubs appeared out of nowhere from the bushes nearby.
9:19: And they killed the barking deer.
9:21: So Maya just chased the barking deer towards her waiting cubs.
9:24: And the cubs did the job.
9:26: And that was the first time that anyone in Tadoba had actually seen a
9:30: tigress train her 11-month-old cubs to hunt.
9:34: It was three cubs. And it was my most prized moment in my film as well.
9:38: And that moment I was never prepared for.
9:40: Wow, Aishwarya, you took me back to 10 years,
9:44: when I had my first experience in Tadoba and it was a kill.
9:49: I was too far away to capture it.
9:52: Yes, but it was my first safari and I got that tiger kill.
9:57: Wow, that's really lucky.
9:59: I mean, I know people who have gone to the jungle for 10-15 years
10:03: and have not seen a single kill.
10:06: Yes, after listening to you, I think I should ask you this question.
10:10: How do you balance the need to get the perfect shot
10:13: with the ethical consideration of wildlife conservation?
10:18: Thank you for asking me that.
10:19: Because that I feel is really important right now.
10:22: I see a lot of people picking up the cameras and turning photographers
10:26: and posting pictures on Instagram.
10:29: But if you're a true photographer,
10:31: you really need to know where to draw the line
10:34: between having that urge to get the shot
10:36: and, of course, shooting ethically and responsibly
10:40: so that you do not disturb the animal.
10:42: I, for one, ensure there's a considerable amount of distance
10:46: between the animal and me to ensure that the animal is comfortable.
10:50: For me, the animal's comfort is of prime importance.
10:54: And when I shoot in parks, especially national parks,
10:57: where tourism is very high,
10:59: I see this a lot.
11:01: The crazy amount of stress that tourists put on these animals,
11:06: especially big cats.
11:07: And it is scary.
11:09: The animal gets really frightened.
11:11: I mean, people are screaming,
11:13: there's a child crying,
11:14: gipsies buzzing around the animal
11:17: and really going right over it sometimes.
11:20: That is scary for me.
11:21: I mean, I see that and I wonder,
11:23: is this the future?
11:24: Is this sustainable tourism?
11:26: But as a responsible photographer and a filmmaker,
11:29: it's your job, your duty, rather,
11:32: to ensure that you don't put that kind of pressure and stress,
11:36: one, on your teammates and the forest staff itself,
11:40: and, of course, on the animal.
11:41: Give them the respect and they will respect you.
11:44: Absolutely.
11:45: I agree with you completely.
11:48: Well, this one is from one lady,
11:50: a wildlife photographer, to another.
11:52: Wildlife photography is something that must be taking you to remote,
11:57: unexplored places,
11:58: many a times in the scorching heat to freezing cold.
12:02: How do you push yourself to step out of your comfort zone?
12:05: That is so true.
12:06: I mean, you really have to push yourself
12:08: if you need to get out of the box creative shots.
12:12: I've gone through extreme cold, extreme heat,
12:16: standing in 48, 50 degrees Celsius of Rajasthan heat
12:20: to ensure that we get leopard shots.
12:22: I think that goes as part of the job.
12:25: The one way I train myself is by ensuring that I stay fit,
12:28: which is through gym and workouts.
12:30: So it's all about, you know, having that patience
12:33: and having that mindset that if it doesn't happen this time,
12:37: no worries, I'll come back for it.
12:39: But I won't give up.
12:40: Till I get that shot or till I get that frame of behaviour,
12:43: I'll just keep going at it.
12:45: Yes, Aishwarya, I can so relate to this.
12:48: You believe visual communication has the power to change the world.
12:52: Can you please elaborate on how we can save the planet
12:56: through the lens?
12:57: It definitely has the power to change the world.
13:00: Storytelling is an extremely, extremely powerful tool.
13:04: And I think every photographer, filmmaker needs to know that
13:07: the tool that they have in front of them, the camera,
13:10: is a weapon with which they can change the world.
13:13: If you just look at the scenario, as normal people, right,
13:17: we protect what we love, we love what we understand,
13:21: and we understand much better when we can actually see something.
13:25: So that itself gives you the fact that when you see something visually,
13:30: more than maybe hearing about it or reading about it,
13:33: it really stays with you, that visual imagery.
13:36: If I show you a picture of maybe a dried up wetland
13:41: and a flamingo dead on it,
13:43: and then talk to you about the need to preserve wetlands
13:46: for these flamingos, that heart-hitting image would itself
13:50: have kind of made you to realise the importance of wetlands
13:54: and what will happen if you end up losing these wetlands,
13:57: not just for the flamingos, but for even human beings.
14:01: So you can really establish that connection.
14:04: And there's this wetland called Panje near Oran,
14:07: and that used to be a wetland that I used to go as a child for birding.
14:11: Then as years passed, the entire landscape of Oran transformed
14:16: from being a birder's paradise to becoming a concrete nightmare.
14:20: Hundreds of marshes and wetlands and mangroves
14:23: were completely destroyed for a special economic zone.
14:26: And today only one wetland remains, and that is Panje.
14:29: So when I got news, this was a couple of years ago,
14:33: so I was told that Panje was also going in for development,
14:36: and that was something that I did not absolutely want to happen.
14:40: So I thought, what better way?
14:43: My mom gave me an idea that you have so many videos with you.
14:47: Why don't you put them together and make a short film?
14:49: So that became my first short film, actually.
14:52: So I joined those videos together on Premiere Pro.
14:55: I had no clue of editing at that point.
14:57: I learned that from YouTube and made one short documentary of 19 minutes.
15:02: And I shared that on YouTube, and I also began circulating that
15:05: to NGOs and to the local fishing community.
15:08: So I'd taken all their perspectives as well.
15:11: So I began sharing the video.
15:13: I put that on YouTube, and the video gained traction.
15:16: And after that, DD National picked up the film
15:19: to be aired for Diwali weekend.
15:21: And it also inspired a signature campaign to protect Panje.
15:25: And after that, there's been a lot of campaigns
15:27: that have gone on to protect that one wetland.
15:30: And a couple of months back, I think in 2022, if I'm not wrong,
15:35: or early 23, Panje was listed as part
15:38: of the National Wetland Decadal Change Atlas.
15:41: And it was also given as a Wetland of Importance
15:45: on the Central Asian Flyway.
15:47: So that really brought about the protection that Panje requires.
15:51: So the film and the photographs really acted as a catalyst
15:56: in driving that change and bringing the attention
16:00: that that wetland deserves.
16:02: Aishwarya, this is so inspiring.
16:03: You know, I've always thought how a wildlife photographer
16:07: can help or contribute towards wildlife conservation.
16:11: And this is an awesome story.
16:14: I'm so proud of you.
16:16: Thank you.Thank you so much.
16:17: And for me, it's not just that one story.
16:20: I mean, Panje has, of course, been a very integral part of my work.
16:25: But wildlife crime is something that I'm equally passionate.
16:30: And a lot of people don't know that the Indian star tortoise
16:34: is the world's most trafficked tortoise.
16:37: It's believed to be a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
16:40: A lot of people keep them as pets as well across the world,
16:44: across Asia, even in India.
16:45: But it's a wild animal at the end of the day.
16:48: The general perception is that it's bred for breeding
16:52: and, you know, to keep as pets.
16:54: But sadly, no, they are extracted from the wild
16:57: on a very large scale and then kept in really unhygienic conditions,
17:03: transported across borders into Southeast Asia
17:07: in really horrifying conditions to ensure that people buy them as pets
17:12: because exotic pets is considered a symbol of wealth and good luck.
17:17: But that's another project that I'm working really active on now.
17:22: So, yes, Aishwarya, this is a challenge that I think
17:25: all of us need to fight against.
17:28: Yes.
17:29: Talking of storytelling, Aishwarya,
17:31: how do you craft a compelling narrative through your footage?
17:35: That's an interesting question.
17:37: I'm actually doing that right now.
17:39: So, yeah, that is...
17:43: I think I try to view the narrative as an audience.
17:47: So I don't see the story that I would like to tell, ideally.
17:50: I kind of see what will be the story
17:53: that will connect the maximum with people.
17:56: So I've worked with big cats a lot
17:58: and I portray my big cat characters as individuals,
18:03: having individual personalities.
18:05: Beautiful.
18:06: As the youngest and first woman
18:08: to receive the Sanctuary Asia Young Naturalist Award
18:12: and the first Indian woman
18:14: to win the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards in London,
18:18: how do you stay grounded and motivated
18:21: to achieve more at the same time?
18:23: I still feel I have a long way to go.
18:26: I think that's what keeps me grounded and motivated
18:28: and the people that I surround myself with.
18:31: At the end of the day for me,
18:33: nature has taught me to be extremely humble.
18:36: Nature is... She's great.
18:38: She's humongous.
18:39: She's the reason we are all alive.
18:41: You don't see nature being proud ever,
18:44: I mean, in terms of animals at all.
18:46: You don't see that kind of thing in their behaviour.
18:48: So that's something that I've learnt from my time in the wild.
18:54: So that's something that's an ongoing process for me.
18:56: These awards, yes, definitely they make me happy.
18:59: The fact that my work has got recognition
19:02: and that what I'm doing is...
19:04: I'm on the right path, definitely.
19:06: But at the end of the day,
19:08: there is a deeper, there's a bigger goal
19:10: of ensuring that wildlife conservation
19:13: is inspired through my work
19:15: and species protection happens.
19:17: I think, Aishwarya, we need a lot more people like you in this world.
19:21: Thank you. Thank you so much.
19:23: How do you see the future of photography and filmmaking
19:26: changing over the next few years?
19:28: I'd love to see how AI impacts
19:30: the future of filmmaking and photography.
19:32: Of course, now with AI coming in,
19:35: there is a side of negativity as well
19:36: when it comes to photographers
19:38: because there's so much that the machine can do
19:41: and generate pictures.
19:42: But I would like to see how it can be integrated
19:46: into storytelling in such a way
19:48: that we're able to create more impactful content.
19:50: So there's a lot that technology has actually aided
19:54: in terms of storytelling,
19:56: which can help us craft a more compelling
19:59: and a more intimate narrative
20:01: of the species that we are filming.
20:03: Yes, so true.
20:04: What kind of equipment do you find essential for your work?
20:08: And how do you choose the right gear
20:09: for different environments?
20:11: For me, the deciding factor when it comes to gear
20:14: when it's for videos is whether the camera
20:16: fits broadcast standards or not.
20:19: So if it's Netflix approved, great.
20:22: If it's got 8K or 4K raw recording, perfect.
20:26: Can it record in slow motion?
20:28: Great, if it can
20:30: So these are some of the boxes that has to tick for me
20:32: because I am into the filmmaking side.
20:35: From the photography side,
20:36: I try to see if the camera can deliver
20:39: a high frame rate per second.
20:41: I mean, in terms of the burst mode,
20:43: the continuous shooting speed,
20:45: what's the maximum it can deliver?
20:47: Because when I'm capturing action,
20:48: I like the camera to be on point to ensure
20:51: that action is frozen in time perfectly and sharply.
20:56: Also, I check the autofocus qualities
21:00: and the number of AF points that it can get.
21:03: And also now I've moved towards mirrorless.
21:06: I was earlier in DSLR, but with times you need to change.
21:10: So now I've moved towards mirrorless
21:12: and I really love the electronic viewfinder.
21:15: So yeah, continuous shooting speed,
21:17: the autofocus capabilities of the camera,
21:20: of course, eye tracking, eye focus tracking.
21:22: That's something that has been a game changer right now.
21:26: The Canon cameras have excellent eye AF.
21:29: So for me, that's one of the reasons
21:30: why my go-to cameras have always been Canon.
21:34: Yeah, in terms of lenses,
21:35: I have a wide variety of lenses, right?
21:38: From wides to macro to close-ups
21:41: and telephotos and zoom lenses
21:44: But I keep going back to a telephoto zoom lens
21:47: when I'm shooting, especially documentaries,
21:50: because it gives me the flexibility
21:51: to go wide and go close at the same time.
21:54: Whereas if I was on a prime,
21:56: then I'll have to change lenses on the field.
21:58: And of course, the camera and the lens being weather-safe,
22:01: that's something that's extremely important
22:03: because we work in harsh conditions,
22:05: in terms of high temperatures, of very cold environments.
22:09: So the camera has to function properly
22:11: in terms of being...
22:12: It has to be able to adapt and be strong enough
22:15: to the changing weather conditions.
22:17: Yes, Aishwarya, you're so right.
22:19: The equipment that we get today
22:20: helps us focus more on storytelling
22:23: than on the technical aspects.
22:26: Yes.
22:26: And recently, we did a monsoon shoot
22:29: and I have literally put my camera through hell.
22:32: I mean, it got completely wet.
22:34: But surprisingly, nothing happened.
22:37: I mean, the R5C and the lenses,
22:39: or the RF lenses of Canon,
22:41: they are so good in terms of being weather-sealed
22:43: that even after standing in dripping rain,
22:46: the camera did not get spoiled.
22:48: I just had to come back, I dried it,
22:50: and it began functioning beautifully.
22:52: There was no glitch at all.
22:53: Yeah, I always call them the white beauties.
22:56: Yes.
22:57: White, sturdy beauties.
23:00: So true.
23:01: You have also directed a feature
23:04: called Tiger Queen of Taru,
23:06: airing on National Geographic and Disney Hotstar.
23:10: Tell us about your experience.
23:11: That was supposed to be my first film, actually,
23:15: but that ended up being my second
23:16: because Panjay happened before that.
23:18: But I started actually tracking Maya
23:22: and following her as a teenager.
23:24: So I was 15 when I first saw her
23:26: and it was an instant bond that I formed with her.
23:29: I don't know why, but my mind kept going back to her,
23:33: my heart kept going back to her.
23:35: Whenever I visited Taru,
23:36: I made it a point to ensure that I saw Maya.
23:40: And if not, even if I didn't actively seek her out,
23:43: she definitely did.
23:45: Okay, and that's something that I find
23:47: it really a special connection with her
23:49: because some of my best,
23:51: I would say all of my best moment of Tigers
23:53: has been with Maya and her family
23:56: and her mate, Madhkasur.
23:58: So I had no intention of making a film actually on Maya.
24:02: It was just, I had collected a lot of videos across time
24:05: of being in Taroba and, you know,
24:08: seeing the park for across seven years.
24:10: So across seven years,
24:12: I've visited Taroba during various seasons.
24:15: So I had a huge collection of footage.
24:17: And then there was this one incident in her life
24:19: that really made me question
24:21: that she could actually be redefining her wild genetics.
24:25: So the incidents goes that she was,
24:27: she had her three cubs.
24:28: This was somewhere around 2015, 2016.
24:31: Okay, that time period.
24:33: And she had a litter of three cubs
24:35: and there was this wandering male called Madhkasur
24:38: who had just entered.
24:39: So Madhkasur had just entered Taroba
24:41: to establish his territory.
24:44: And at that time,
24:45: the dominant male was still Gabbar in her area
24:48: and the father of her cubs was still Gabbar.
24:50: So when Madhkasur came,
24:51: he kind of completely fractured her family.
24:54: So she went across Taroba Lake
24:56: got back Gabbar
24:58: Gabbar and she had a false meeting
25:00: and then Gabbar fought with Madhkasur
25:03: and then Madhkasur left the area for some time.
25:06: So then Maya reunited with one of her cubs, Bhola.
25:09: And that incident, when it played out,
25:12: to me, it was like a Bollywood film drama,
25:14: you know, playing out.
25:16: Look, oh my God,
25:16: here's a tigress who can teach MBA students
25:21: strategising lessons.
25:22: The way she thought everything over was incredible
25:26: for a wild animal,
25:27: whom we usually typecast as a carnivore,
25:31: as a predator with killing instincts.
25:34: So I compiled all the footage that I had of her,
25:37: which I had shot as a tourist across so many years.
25:40: My friends also pulled in their footage
25:43: and together we made Tiger Queen of Taroba.
25:47: I wrote the story, I directed the film
25:48: and it won in a couple of film festivals
25:51: and that's how a distribution company picked it up then
25:54: and then National Geographic aired it.
25:57: And that was my first association
25:58: with National Geographic Wild.
26:00: And after that, I've now become an NGO explorer.
26:03: So it's a very special thing.
26:05: The film also holds a very special place in my heart.
26:08: Wow, awesome. Really very inspiring, Ishwarya.
26:12: What role has photography played in your life?
26:15: I would say photography has played
26:16: a really huge role in my life
26:18: in shaping me as a person,
26:20: in teaching me a lot of life lessons.
26:23: Perseverance, patience,
26:25: you know, to keep going at it despite failures.
26:29: And looking at today's times,
26:31: what's happening with women
26:32: and women's safety across the world,
26:35: I really feel that in the wild
26:36: that there's no such concept as rape.
26:40: I mean, when you see animals
26:41: without the consent of the female,
26:43: there is no mating in wildlife.
26:45: Whereas in humans,
26:47: today I don't know in terms of humanity,
26:49: I keep reading so many news items
26:52: about violence, about war,
26:54: about torture against women.
26:57: And that really makes me question
26:58: as to where are we heading as people,
27:01: as a community, as mankind.
27:04: And for me, at that time,
27:05: I feel photography really keeps me
27:08: in that safe space mentally
27:10: because I feel that I can turn to nature
27:12: and just gain back that calmness.
27:15: Nature has really taught me a lot in life.
27:18: And photography has made me who I am today.
27:22: Right, Aishwarya.
27:23: Like, I mean, I totally agree
27:25: that humans are the most dangerous animals
27:27: on this planet.
27:29: Yeah, absolutely.
27:30: Couldn't agree more.
27:32: Thank you so much, Aishwarya.
27:34: It's been a pleasure to listen to your journey.
27:37: You're as good with your words
27:38: as you are with your camera.
27:41: Your passion is infectious
27:42: and surely makes us all,
27:46: I'm sure the listeners would want
27:47: to just pick up their cameras and start shooting.
27:50: But now we have a short surprise segment.
27:54: We'll ask you to guess these animals
27:56: based on these hints.
27:58: Are you ready?
28:00: Yeah, sure.
28:01: I will try my best.
28:02: Yep, let's go then.
28:04: The alphabet goes from A to Z,
28:07: but I go Z to A.
28:09: What am I?
28:10: Zebra? Yep.
28:13: Through a sea of green and islands of brown,
28:16: leaving a crystal path behind,
28:20: safe inside a spiral cave,
28:22: preparing to come out again.
28:25: What animal am I?
28:26: Crab?
28:28: A snail?
28:30: Snail.
28:31: Okay, yeah, close.
28:32: I mean, something,I was thinking something to do with molluscs.
28:34: Yes.
28:35: Some molluscs, yeah.
28:37: I have a distinctive horn,
28:40: but I'm not a unicorn.
28:42: My horn is made of keratin
28:44: and it's quite forlorn.
28:47: What animal am I?
28:49: I have a distinct horn.
28:51: Yes.
28:53: But I'm not a unicorn.
28:55: Okay.
28:56: My horn is made of keratin
28:57: and it's quite forlorn.
29:01: Rhino?
29:02: The one on rhino?
29:04: Yes.
29:05: I have a remarkable camouflage ability.
29:08: I blend in so well.
29:10: My body changes colour
29:12: to match the ocean's swell.
29:15: What animal am I?
29:17: Octopus?
29:18: Yes.
29:20: That's all we have for you, Aishwarya.
29:23: It's been an absolute blast
29:25: having you on our podcast today.
29:27: You have surely inspired us
29:29: to find and live by our passion.
29:32: And I am sure you have unlocked
29:34: a deep-seated passion for photography
29:38: for all our listeners.
29:40: Thank you for inspiring our colleagues
29:42: with your work and life experiences.
29:45: Thank you so much.
29:46: It was a pleasure talking to you, Pramila.
29:47: Thank you for having me.
29:49: I enjoyed being on this podcast so much.