In the forested hills of Melghat, Maharashtra, Akash is cultivating a vision where seeds, songs, and stories come together to sustain both people and wildlife. With over a decade of experience in food systems and indigenous seed conservation, Akash weaves research, practice, and community wisdom to celebrate local ecological knowledge. He holds a Master’s in Economics and Food and Development from the Institute of Development Studies, UK, and was associated for long with Beejotsav, a farmer-led festival that celebrates indigenous seeds and promotes sustainable agriculture.

​

Through his Champions project, Akash will collaborate with Korku and Gaoli community leaders to strengthen Gram Sabhas in creating Community Forest Resource (CFR) plans, document food–forest–wildlife interactions, and train young community storytellers to share local knowledge and experiences of coexistence. Rooted in agroecology, his approach blends participatory research, policy advocacy, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to foster resilient landscapes. By integrating agroecological principles into both farming and forest management, Akash’s work reimagines conservation as community-led, livelihood-enhancing, and ecologically sound as well as grounded in the lived wisdom of those who coexist with nature.

​