Since a young age, I have been fascinated by wildlife, but an eye-opening internship during my bachelor's degree motivated me to pursue a career in shark and ray research. Since then, I have worked on projects that highlighted the plight of these species in our waters through surveys conducted at fish markets along the coast of India. After graduating with a Master's Degree in Marine Biology, I joined NCF and initiated a project in the Andaman Islands that aimed at understanding the important role that particular coastlines of the islands play in the early life stages of Critically Endangered giant guitarfish (relatives of sharks and rays) and other rays. As part of my PhD, I plan to expand on this work and provide data that can aid in conserving these species and the habitats they depend on.