Dr. Jayshree Vencatesan, India

Biography 

Dr. Vencatesan’s journey in wetland conservation is a testament to her determination and a deep-rooted love for nature. What began as a personal mission with just $350 and a relentless drive has grown into a nationwide effort to protect India’s marshlands. She was one of the first to document the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai—once dismissed as a wasteland—bringing to light its critical role in flood mitigation and biodiversity.

Her passion for conservation stems from childhood, inspired by her father’s deep respect for the natural world. Today, as an acclaimed scientist, she challenges conventional boundaries of science, advocating for the inclusion of diverse knowledge systems in environmental research. Leading an all-women research team, she is not only safeguarding wetlands but also mentoring the next generation of female conservationists. For Jayshree, change isn’t about quick wins—it’s about persistence, often measured in decades, to ensure a lasting impact.

Q. What personal experience has shaped or inspired your journey?

Several experiences – a few of them could be labeled as memorable, but a good number of them were very traumatic or tragic. My kindergarten teacher not having a change of clothes was my first lesson in poverty, while members of our neighborhood wading through flood waters looking for valuables they could scrounge taught me how everything is viewed as an opportunity to maximize gain by vested groups. Walking to school with my younger brothers by crossing one of the minor channels of River Godavari in spate, in a state of helplessness and fear, showed me how a sedate natural system can turn into a torrential flood in no time.

Inspiration comes in when the cabbie you have hired, teaches you the importance of marshes and wetlands because of a programme to commemorate World Wetlands Day that he had listened to the previous day. I was up in the clouds when I was stopped by an Immigration officer who asked if I was the lady working on the wetlands of Tamil Nadu. Most recently, and rather happily, I draw inspiration from my daughter who has taken up Water Risk as her career, and the men in my life – my husband and brothers who have always been there for me. 
 

Q. Who is the influential figure who has inspired your actions, and what specifically about them has been motivating?

Yet again, a good number of people; the great teachers, mentors, project heads, scientists, and so on. But the only person who I have tried to be all my life is my late father Mr Mayur Narasimhan. I cannot however explain this in detail, for he was a man of very few words and never said or quoted profound verses. He led a simple life, was generous and kind to every living organism, and was never judgemental. He believed in living in harmony with the world and contributed his bit to bringing joy to others. His friend's circle included the local langur, a mongoose, and a good number of community dogs. Above all, he had absolute faith and confidence that his dear daughter would successfully reach for the stars.
 

Q. In your conservation efforts for wetlands, what key challenges did you face and how has this experience fuelled your dedication to making a positive impact?

The fragile nature of wetlands, and the limited opportunity to restore and conserve a wetland when subjected to detrimental impacts are critical issues indeed,  but are not the defining issues that determine the efficacy or success of our effort in conserving a wetland. 

That a cluster of seemingly irrelevant and unrelated issues, protocols, procedures, and systems have a greater bearing on wetlands is a lesson I learned the hard way. For example, land titles given as gifts to a currently non-existent family 350 years ago, user rights over a use that is not in practice currently etc. derailed and stopped the restoration of an important wetland while the unbridled ego of a donor ensured that the last patch of a rare aquatic plant looked like a weed. 

This absurdity is the biggest challenge that I continue to face while trying to conserve wetlands. My coping strategy is rather bizarre and may even come across as being resigned to one’s fate. I stay on the issue with an absolute dogged determination for years, sometimes decades, so that the issue loses steam or withers away. Perseverance I guess is the key. 
 

Q. As a woman who has made significant strides, where can you say investment is required to accelerate progress and empower women’s actions for wetlands?

Of absolute importance are investments to equip women of all strata of society with the modern technical know-how and skills in wetland management that highlight their traditional knowledge domains. This needs to be backstopped by appointing women in key positions where decision-making is vested in them. But even before all of this is done, we need to recognize the issues that plagued women when I was a child in the sixties, such as dropping out of school,  or college because educating a girl is not a worthy investment, not being able to pursue higher learning because of childbirth, glass ceilings in academics continue to persist.