Although my background is in engineering, my passion for the natural world was kindled long before I pursued my undergraduate degree. As an astronomy enthusiast, I found myself seeking out places far from city lights, often near forests, which ultimately brought me closer to the wild. My fascination began with the avian world (and it remains to this day for the most part!) and I soon found myself driven by a curiosity for the underlying processes that govern patterns in the natural world. This curiosity prompted me to take part in various research projects throughout India, the highlight of which included working in the lush forests of eastern Arunachal Pradesh. To formalise my understanding, I pursued a master's degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. My dissertation focused on the associations between bamboo and bird communities in the Eastern Himalaya. With the High Altitude Program at NCF, I am currently part of the long-term bird and raptor monitoring projects in Spiti and Ladakh. I aim to deepen my knowledge of mountain ecosystems and the challenges birds face in a world increasingly dominated by human activity.