Sanjay Gubbi studied MSc Conservation Biology with DICE in 2005, where he received the award for the best postgraduate student of his year. Since then, Sanjay has gone on to obtain several additional awards, from the 2011 Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award, to a Whitley Award in 2017, and the 2019 Co-Existence Award by the Elephant Family, presented by the King and Queen. In 2012, he was featured on the ’25 Leaders of Tomorrow’ list, published by Times of India.
Since graduating, his work has helped to expand protected areas across Karnataka, India, and he has authored the critically-acclaimed book ‘Second Nature: Saving Tiger Landscapes in the Twenty-First Century’, hailed as a “field guide to future conservationists”.
In this blog post, we catch up with Sanjay, as he reflects on his time as a DICE student.
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Hi Sanjay, thanks for being this month’s spotlight. What have you been up to since graduating from DICE?
I co-founded the Holématthi Nature Foundation of which I am the Programme Head. We conduct research on large cats and drive conservation by collaborating with diverse stakeholders—government, communities, religious and social leaders, media, and more. Our work also includes outreach and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
How do you feel your time at DICE prepared you for the work you are doing now?
DICE provides an international experience that broadens perspectives on wildlife conservation, fosters sensitivity to global practices, adapts them to local conditions, and enhances field implementation.
What do you consider to be the highlight of your time at DICE?
Supportive classmates, including seasoned professionals, expert faculty, a beautiful campus, and excellent learning resources. It also gave me time to reflect on our conservation practices back home and the skills needed to enhance them.
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We wish Sanjay all the best as he continues his incredible work. Click the link to find out more about the Holématthi Nature Foundation.