Our team

Aleem Yoosuf N. is an early-career invasion biology researcher, biodiversity educator and science communicator from Kerala. His PhD research in invasion biology is anchored in the ecologically sensitive landscapes of the Western Ghats, including the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, where invasive species threaten native biodiversity.

He developed NeophyteID, a YOLOv11-powered real-time invasive-plant detection tool built for Kerala, integrating artificial intelligence, field ecology and citizen participation to make invasive species identification accessible to non-experts.

He was selected as ECHO Youth Innovation Challenge Champion of the Year 2026 under the Youth Innovation Challenge by WWF India, and received the Oushadhi Endowment Award for Scientific Social Responsibility at the 38th Kerala Science Congress in February 2026.

As founder of ELATHAND he leads a community-based effort in Nilambur, within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, to democratise ecological knowledge, counter greenwashing and foster responsible environmental citizenship.

Harshid Pulparambil is a plant conservation biologist working on the conservation and restoration of threatened tree species across the Western Ghats, coordinating field interventions, habitat restoration and stakeholder participation.

His doctoral research explored the ecology and conservation of endemic seasonal aquatic plants of the laterite plateaus of northern Kerala, with a particular focus on Crinum malabaricum, combining ecological investigation, reproductive biology, molecular approaches, cryobiology and geospatial analysis.

His expertise spans plant conservation biology, restoration ecology, ecological niche modelling, GIS and remote sensing, molecular phylogenetics and plant cryobiology. He has developed pollen cryopreservation protocols for threatened species and published research papers, book chapters and laboratory protocols.

He believes lasting conservation depends on meaningful collaboration between researchers, local communities and governing institutions.

Dr Gouthami V. is an ethnobotanist and plant ecologist specialising in ethnoecology, biodiversity conservation and the indigenous ecological knowledge systems of the Western Ghats.

Her doctoral research on the ethnoecology of the Kadar and Malasar indigenous communities of the Anamalai Hills was the first comprehensive study of its kind from Kerala, documenting hundreds of plant and animal taxa alongside indigenous ecological classification systems.

She has served as an Assistant Professor of Botany in Kerala and as a Research Fellow at the Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation, working on forest biodiversity, conservation and tribal livelihoods. She is an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Innovations in Art and Culture for Nature Conservation and Environmental Sustainability for the 2023–2028 term.

Her current work focuses on ethnoecological documentation, medicinal plant research, community seed conservation, bioinvasion studies and ecosystem restoration, bridging scientific knowledge and indigenous wisdom.

Unaisudheen T. P. is an early-career ecologist, biodiversity researcher and trainer whose research focuses on the ecology, eco-physiology and distribution dynamics of invasive aquatic plants in the wetlands of Kerala.

His work integrates field ecology, geospatial technologies, remote sensing, ecological niche modelling and data science to understand biological invasions and support evidence-based conservation planning.

Through workshops, field training programmes and digital learning resources he has trained students, researchers and conservation practitioners in ecological niche modelling, GIS, remote sensing and biodiversity informatics, making advanced tools more accessible.

At ELATHAND he leads initiatives promoting conservation through research, capacity building, citizen science and environmental education.

Zameel Hassan is a full-stack software developer and AI product engineer building practical AI-powered systems, with expertise spanning computer vision, developer tooling, workflow automation, retrieval-augmented generation and AI-assisted product engineering.

He was lead developer of NeophyteID, the AI-powered invasive plant identification platform that combines computer vision and real-time detection to support researchers, conservation practitioners and citizen scientists in early detection and monitoring across Kerala.

He also contributes to digital tools that support ecological research, science communication and community participation, and has facilitated workshops on artificial intelligence, software development and digital content creation.

Nadra Fathima is an instructional designer and learning experience developer who transforms complex technical concepts into engaging, learner-centred educational experiences. She designs and develops online courses for Coursera in collaboration with subject matter experts.

She holds a Master's degree in Bioinformatics from Pondicherry University and a Bachelor's in Zoology from Miranda House, University of Delhi — an interdisciplinary background that lets her bridge scientific knowledge and effective instructional design.

Her work spans e-learning development, learning experience design, digital pedagogy, educational technology and curriculum development.

Midhilaj T. K. is an early-career sociologist and interdisciplinary researcher whose interests include environmental sociology, climate change, sustainability, migration, local governance and conservation social science.

His dissertation explored the social dimensions of environmental change from an interdisciplinary perspective, and he has presented research at national and international conferences.

In 2026 he was selected as the Kerala representative for a biodiversity programme organised by the Telangana Biodiversity Board. At ELATHAND he contributes to research, environmental education, documentation and community engagement.