Priya Davidar

Priya Davidar grew up in the Nilgiris and returned to its forests after retiring as Professor and Dean from Pondicherry University. One of India’s first women field ecologists, her work spans decades of studying tropical forests, pollination, and wildlife conservation. She’s written over a hundred research papers and a few books, including Wetland Birds of the Pondicherry Region, Whispers from the Wild (in memory of her father E. R. C. Davidar), and Giant Hearts, co-authored with her husband Dr. Jean-Philippe Puyravaud. The two now focus on conserving elephant habitats and maintaining forest corridors through the Sigur Nature Trust — a life lived close to the land they’ve always loved.