Dr. Manju Vasudevan is a pioneering force in the field of conservation and community empowerment, with a remarkable career spanning research, advocacy, and grassroots activism. Armed with a PhD in Pollination Ecology from Imperial College London and a Fulbright Nehru post-doctoral Fellowship from the University of California Santa Barbara, Dr. Manju has dedicated her life to preserving biodiversity and uplifting marginalized communities.
During the initial years of her career, Dr. Manju focused on researching canopy pollinators and championing bee habitat conservation, collaborating with esteemed organizations such as ATREE, FES, and the Keystone Foundation. Her expertise and passion for conservation led her to spearhead the Conservation and Livelihoods Program at the River Research Centre in Kerala, where she continues to make significant strides in community-driven conservation efforts.
Dr. Manju’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social justice is further evidenced by her involvement as one of the Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellows in 2021 and her role as the India Chair of G-100 – Youth Enterprise and Leadership. Her recent work in asserting Community Forest Rights for indigenous groups in the Chalakudy river basin exemplifies her dedication to fostering sustainable livelihoods while preserving natural ecosystems.
Forest Post:
Forest Post, founded by Dr. Manju, is an innovative social startup that embodies the intersection of conservation, entrepreneurship, and community development. The startup’s mission is to empower forest-dwelling communities, particularly Adivasi and indigenous groups, by asserting their rights over forest resources and building sustainable livelihoods.
Through Forest Post, Dr. Manju has pioneered the cooperative model of enterprise building, empowering women’s groups to engage in value addition of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and strengthen local economies. By leveraging indigenous knowledge and fostering community-led conservation efforts, Forest Post demonstrates that secure livelihoods can be achieved without compromising the future of forests.
Forest Post’s innovative approach has garnered attention and acclaim, earning recognition as a standout example of social entrepreneurship. Dr. Manju’s visionary leadership and commitment to social and environmental justice position Forest Post as a catalyst for positive change, inspiring hope and empowerment within forest communities across India.
