Write pro-people, inclusive policies for maximising impact: Dr. Padma Mahanti, IFS, Kerala cadre
The session on ‘Wildlife Conservation Finance’ was held as part of the Persuasive Policy Writing course led by Prof. Deepti Ganapathy
10 March, 2025, Bengaluru: Close on the heels of World Wildlife Day, celebrated on 03 March, students of the Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management (PGPPM) at IIM Bangalore had the privilege of hosting Dr. Padma Mahanti, a distinguished officer of the Indian Forest Service (2001 batch, Kerala cadre) and current Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhubaneswar.
The session was facilitated by Prof. Deepti Ganapathy, Chairperson, Centre for Management as part of the course - Persuasive Policy Writing 1.
In her talk today, Dr. Mahanti, who holds expertise in wildlife conservation, forest management, climate change adaptation, and tribal welfare, stressed on the interdisciplinarity nature of framing policy especially for biodiversity conservation to hold all stakeholders equally accountable. She highlighted the aspects of cross-sectoral approach in policy writing. She talked about India’s first eco-tourism program and her stint as the DFO, Periyar Tiger Reserve.
The PGPPM, launched in 2002 by IIMB, is a one-of-its kind programme aimed at improving efficiency and leadership skills among policymakers and administrators while exposing them to topical issues in management. The current cohort comprises participants from the Ministry of Railways, Income Tax Department (Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance), Ministry of Defence (Department of Defence Research & Development), CAMTECH (Ministry of Railways), Department of Telecommunication, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and so on.
Chandrika Bharadwaj, participant of the cohort, while thanking the speaker, explained the need for cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement in policy management, framing and development. The theme for World Wildlife Day 2025 is “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”, and the guest session gave the participants ample food for thought to align their respective policy goals in this direction.
Speaker profile:
Dr. Padma Mahanti holds expertise in wildlife conservation, forest management, climate change adaptation, and tribal welfare. She is known for her innovative work in participatory environmental management, eco-tourism development, and conservation-driven economic sustainability. Having served in key leadership roles, including Chief Conservator of Forests in Kerala and Director of Environment and Climate Change for the Government of Kerala, she has spearheaded numerous transformative projects. Her pioneering work in tiger conservation, particularly at the Periyar Tiger Reserve, includes the development of trans-boundary conservation models, eco-tourism initiatives, and scientific strategies for tiger population monitoring. She has also played a significant role in the creation of Miyawaki forests, branding of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), and participatory fire management.
Write pro-people, inclusive policies for maximising impact: Dr. Padma Mahanti, IFS, Kerala cadre
The session on ‘Wildlife Conservation Finance’ was held as part of the Persuasive Policy Writing course led by Prof. Deepti Ganapathy
10 March, 2025, Bengaluru: Close on the heels of World Wildlife Day, celebrated on 03 March, students of the Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management (PGPPM) at IIM Bangalore had the privilege of hosting Dr. Padma Mahanti, a distinguished officer of the Indian Forest Service (2001 batch, Kerala cadre) and current Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Central), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhubaneswar.
The session was facilitated by Prof. Deepti Ganapathy, Chairperson, Centre for Management as part of the course - Persuasive Policy Writing 1.
In her talk today, Dr. Mahanti, who holds expertise in wildlife conservation, forest management, climate change adaptation, and tribal welfare, stressed on the interdisciplinarity nature of framing policy especially for biodiversity conservation to hold all stakeholders equally accountable. She highlighted the aspects of cross-sectoral approach in policy writing. She talked about India’s first eco-tourism program and her stint as the DFO, Periyar Tiger Reserve.
The PGPPM, launched in 2002 by IIMB, is a one-of-its kind programme aimed at improving efficiency and leadership skills among policymakers and administrators while exposing them to topical issues in management. The current cohort comprises participants from the Ministry of Railways, Income Tax Department (Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance), Ministry of Defence (Department of Defence Research & Development), CAMTECH (Ministry of Railways), Department of Telecommunication, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and so on.
Chandrika Bharadwaj, participant of the cohort, while thanking the speaker, explained the need for cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement in policy management, framing and development. The theme for World Wildlife Day 2025 is “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”, and the guest session gave the participants ample food for thought to align their respective policy goals in this direction.
Speaker profile:
Dr. Padma Mahanti holds expertise in wildlife conservation, forest management, climate change adaptation, and tribal welfare. She is known for her innovative work in participatory environmental management, eco-tourism development, and conservation-driven economic sustainability. Having served in key leadership roles, including Chief Conservator of Forests in Kerala and Director of Environment and Climate Change for the Government of Kerala, she has spearheaded numerous transformative projects. Her pioneering work in tiger conservation, particularly at the Periyar Tiger Reserve, includes the development of trans-boundary conservation models, eco-tourism initiatives, and scientific strategies for tiger population monitoring. She has also played a significant role in the creation of Miyawaki forests, branding of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), and participatory fire management.