Dr. Seshadri K S is a second-generation Bangalorean who grew up surrounded by nature, watching sparrows nest in a well in his courtyard during the early 90s. As a teenager, his passion for birdwatching led him to join BngBirds in the early 2000s. During his BSc at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, Seshadri expanded his interests to include Odonates and Heritage Trees. Throughout his undergraduate years, he volunteered with researchers, surveying large mammals across the Western Ghats of Karnataka.
Realizing that research was his true calling, Seshadri worked with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), where he climbed the tall trees of the Western Ghats using ropes to study epiphytic plants. He pursued a Master’s in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from Pondicherry University. Winning the prestigious “Future Conservationist” Award, he studied amphibians in forest canopies and discovered new species. In 2013, he was awarded the Navjot Sodhi Conservation Scholarship. He joined the National University of Singapore, where he pursued research on the evolutionary ecology of parental care among amphibians in the Western Ghats, discovering both novel reproductive behaviors and new species.
Throughout a 15-year career, Dr. Seshadri has studied a wide range of organisms, always with a focus on conservation and deepening our understanding of ecology and evolutionary biology. He has worked in various capacities at prominent institutions such as ATREE, The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Gubbi Labs, and the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science. With over 40 academic papers and book chapters to his name, he has taught courses at multiple levels, from students to the general public. He serves as an editor on two journals and helps other researchers improve their publications as a reviewer for over 40 journals.
Drawn to the beauty and complexity of nature, Seshadri is most at home in the field, observing wildlife through binoculars or capturing moments with his camera. He is deeply committed to conservation and believes in rekindling a sense of wonder for nature among people. A skilled communicator, he frequently writes and speaks about science in both Kannada and English, authoring more than 60 popular science articles in magazines, websites, and newspapers.
In 2022, Dr. Seshadri joined ATREE as a faculty member, leading a vibrant lab group focused on a wide range of ecology and biodiversity conservation issues. He has supervised three Master’s students and two doctoral students, while also mentoring interns who have gone on to successful careers in ecology and research in India and abroad. At ATREE, he teaches in both the Master’s and PhD programs, while continuing his fieldwork in the Western Ghats.
In his spare time, Seshadri enjoys writing poetry, tending to his rooftop garden, reading books, and making bad jokes. He is always looking for new wilderness areas and prehistoric locations to explore.
