Prakriti Research Fellowship

Prakriti Research Fellowship is a grant from EcoSattva that funds on-ground conservation work by individuals, teams, and small NGOs in India. Active since 2017, the program has supported over 47 fellows nationwide across three priority themes: urban ecology research and action, conservation of important habitats, and conservation of threatened species with a special focus on One Health.

The 2026-27 funding cycle is open and prioritizes projects with clear, tangible impacts. Eligible applicants are Indian nationals under 40 years of age working on field-based conservation projects; individuals, small teams, and small NGOs may all apply. The application deadline is May 30, 2026.

Grant amounts are seed funding; specific award sizes are not publicly listed. A doubt-clearing session was held May 15, 2026.

Prakriti Research Fellowship The Prakriti Research Fellowship (PRF) is a small grants programme committed to providing seed funding for strong on-ground conservation work by individuals, teams, and small NGOs.

Since 2017, PRF has supported over 47 fellows pan-India selected by an expert committee including Natasha Zarine (Co-Founder, EcoSattva), Gauri Mirashi (Co-Founder, EcoSattva), Prerna Agarwal (Founder, EcoSphere Connect), Bahar Baviskar (Founder, WILD-CER), and Sameer Kelkar (CEO, GrindMaster). PRF is officially hitting double digits! Our 2026-27 call for proposals is now open.

If you're an Indian national under 40 working on projects with clear, tangible impacts, we want to support you!

The broad themes under which the Fellowship is provided are: Urban Ecology Research & Action Conservation of Important Habitats Conservation of Threatened Species (SPECIAL FOCUS on “One Health”) PRF 2026-27 Application Form Register for PRF 2026-27 Doubt Clearing Session on 15 May 2026 In the Shadows of the Himalayas: Exploring How Red Pandas Behave and Thrive Amid Human Initiating Community-based Conservation of Chinese Pangolin in Karbi Hills, Assam Micropropagation and Reintroduction of the Endangered Shrub Abutilon ranadei Conservation Assessment and Awareness Program for Leith’s Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia leithii) in Kerala Community-based nature education with a focus on critically endangered species of SMTR to promote faunal conservation in Tamil Nadu Transit Treatment Centre For wildlife Community-led Restoration and Conservation of Important Fish Habitats in Selected Aquatic Ecosystems in Kargi Ecological Exploration of Laterite Caves to Catalyse the Conservation Campaign of Midland Laterite Hillocks in Northern Kerala Conservation status and illegal trade of two protected molluscs – Bull horn helmet and Spiral Tudicula from coast of Tamil Nadu, India Conserving Taxus contorta by Bridging Ecology with Community Participation in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh Florican at the Fringe: Empowering Communities for Bengal Florican Conservation through Research and Capacity Building Discovering the Ecological Correlations Between Birdlife, Agriculture, and Culture in the Nathsagar Reservior Reviving River-Tied Heritage: Eco-Cultural Restoration of the Tamiraparani River Conservation of Freshwater-Associated Fishes in and around Talle Valley, Arunachal Pradesh Monitoring the Prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Amphibians of Pench Tiger Reserve, Central India Safeguarding Endangered Amboli Lateritic Toad (Beduka amboli) through research, community engagement, and conservation action Conservation of 2 threatened plant species viz.

Adelocaryum lambertianum and Erinocarpus nimmonii from northern CEO, Grind Master Machines Pvt. Ltd. Our World is witnessing/causing the 6th Extinction - an irreparable loss to biodiversity and ecologically diverse habitat. Research into these areas are must for directing Conservation Action.

The PRF is aimed at funding individual researchers and has been successful in initiating excellent projects on diverse subjects such as Herbs, Odonates, Pangolins and also demonstrated Conservation action. We are excited with all the ON GROUND ZERO work happening with support of the PRF and Forest Department.

We believe it is important to conduct a lot more research and awareness of our rich biodiversity and PRF is acting as a catalyst in attracting and retaining talented researchers in this field. Receiving the Prakriti Research Fellowship was a transformative moment for us at Conservation indica. Shortly after registering our non-profit in 2024, this fellowship became our first affirmation that our vision had value.

Its support allowed us to leave our jobs and fully dedicate ourselves to building Conservation indica, turning a dream into full-time action. Though modest in scale, it laid the critical foundation for our work in the semi-arid savannahs of Surendranagar, Gujarat, and continues to inspire us to pursue conservation deeply rooted in community knowledge.

People’s imagination of conservation in cities is often limited to tree plantation drives, development of guides and reference books, or environmental lessons in elite schools. I envisioned the revitalization of abandoned green spaces in marginalized neighborhoods as places where local children could explore and engage with critters on the margins of urban ecology.

My vision has come to life due to the trust and support given to me by PRF. PRF was the first grant I received after multiple rejections from more mainstream avenues. Project Critterabad’s success is an important “proof of concept”, and I have a portfolio which will enable the proliferation of this work.

I am super grateful and excited for what comes next! BSc Zoology student, SBES Science College, Aurangabad I had never imagined that there is such an amazing world of dragonflies out there. Through this workshop, I got to learn so much about dragonflies, which I always considered as a mere insect and ignored.

Here onwards, I will look around, take photos of dragonflies, and contribute my data to the Marathwada Citizen Science Project to do my bit of research and conservation. Bansbari Range, Manas National Park, Barpeta Road, Assam Forest officials, especially the patrolling staff, were trained to monitor the activity pattern of hispid hare in the grasslands of Manas.

Since 80% of people are unaware of the presence and importance of the species in their forest beat, our ongoing capacity building has initiated excellent results on the field. This initiative will also help in large scale monitoring of the Hispid Hare survey, which we plan to organize this winter. We cannot conserve what we are not aware of.

Some of the past fellowships have researched biodiversity including pangolins, odonates and tigers in the Marathwada area. This inspired us to support further research. As a passionate outdoor/wilderness enthusiast I am pleased to contribute in a meaningful way to research and conserve biodiversity.

Young ecologists need to be encouraged and enabled to venture in this field. Without PRF 2022, I would never had the support I needed to carry out rigorous research in challenging conditions and create published material for outreach. The fellowship gave me the ability to travel extensively in my field, work in more sites, and engage with volunteers and interns to help make a comprehensive project.