Columbia E3B Alumna Dr. Amrita Neelakantan supports The Great Elephant Migration at Climate Week NYC

We are proud to highlight the work of Dr. Amrita Neelakantan, a PhD alumna of Columbia University’s Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B), as she supports The Great Elephant Migration that is currently in New York City.

Dr. Neelakantan, Executive Director of the Network for Conserving Central India, is an advocate for human-wildlife coexistence, with over 19 years of experience in conservation science. Her research at Columbia focused on human-nature dynamics in central India, where she continues to work on the intersection of biodiversity conservation and community engagement.

As part of The Great Elephant Migration, Dr. Neelakantan supports the awareness and fundraising efforts for projects that protect biodiversity and promote peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife. This initiative includes the lantana elephant sculpture “Leela,” a replica of a real elephant from the Nilgiris in India that is linked to Amrita, symbolizing the complex relationships between human and natural systems.

Join the march of the elephants on 23rd September during Climate Week - Time: 10:30AM-12:00PM, Venue: Gansevoort Plaza, Meatpacking District, New York City.