Welcoming Our Summer Interns: A New Chapter in Field Research and Conservation

This summer, the Saryan Vigyan Foundation kicked off its Summer Research Internship Program, a hands-on, field-based initiative designed to empower undergraduate and graduate students from remote Himalayan regions with scientific training, mentorship, and real-world research experience. June brought fresh energy as we welcomed our spirited trio of interns: Anjali, Poonam, and Shashwat, each diving into a custom-designed project in ethnobotany, ecology, and entomology. Together, they’re learning from the land, from local communities, and from each other.

The internship began with team orientation and a healthy dose of curiosity. Each intern was matched with a project tailored to their interests, from tracking traditional plant knowledge to observing how abandoned fields regenerate, and exploring the rich diversity of insect life. Through this program, we’re not just building research skills. We’re nurturing a new generation of place-based thinkers working on ecological questions rooted deep in the Western Himalayas. And that’s exactly where the journey began. 

Getting Their Bearings

We began with maps, field guides, tech tools, and lots of learning. The First Lessons under the wing of our scientific advisor Aleena Xavier and our director, Dr Preeti, the interns plunged into R programming, learned what QGIS can do for mapping, and got their hands on field guides and cameras.

Ralli village offered the interns their first taste of fieldwork. Winding trails led them through slopes dotted with rare finds like Bergenia stracheyi and Rheum webbianum, sparking curiosity at every turn. Impromptu botany quizzes kept the group on their toes. Was that a Polygonaceae or Asteraceae? There was only one way to find out: observe, question, and learn on the go. Before we dive into their wild (and occasionally wildflower-studded) journey, let’s get to know the interns a bit better.

Custom Paths, Shared Purpose: Meet Our Interns

Anjali Negi, with her natural leadership and deep curiosity about traditional ecological knowledge, was a perfect fit for our ongoing ethnobotany project. Focused on documenting the community and cultural uses of native Himalayan plants, her work involves extensive field work and literature review. We’re confident that her clarity and confidence will make her a strong bridge between scientific research and indigenous knowledge systems.

Poonam Chauhan, the youngest in the group, may be quiet by nature, but she’s remarkably steady, observant, and dependable. Her quiet presence is matched by a deep love for plants and a strong sense of purpose in the field. We aligned her internship with our ongoing project on the recolonisation of flora in abandoned agricultural lands, which resonated with her interest in ecological regeneration. Her careful eye and growing field skills are helping map how wild plant communities return to landscapes once used for farming.

Shashwat Sood, ever easygoing and naturally attuned to both people and insects, is adding a vital dimension to our recolonisation project. The study explores recolonisation at three interconnected levels: 1) plants, 2) insects, and 3) their interactions. With his deep fascination for insects, Shashwat ensures that these small but significant contributors to ecological recovery are closely observed and not overlooked. Through species identification, field collection, and good-humoured curiosity, he’s helping us see how pollinators, decomposers, and other insects quietly shape the regeneration of these landscapes. 

Fun Learning Moments throughout

For Poonam, the journey brought a moment of pure joy as she experienced classroom lessons come to life. “I’ve studied these plants in textbooks for years,” she shared, “but spotting them in the wild made everything click. It finally felt real.”

At Ralli’s primary school, the team had their first taste of community outreach. With curious children, welcoming teachers, and an insect walk led by Shashwat, the visit turned into an immediate hit. Little eyes lit up as they discovered beetles in the grass and butterflies in the bushes, while Shashwat helped them see the wild world right in the school’s backyard.

Meanwhile, Anjali found herself immersed in conversation with elders who seemed to hold an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge about the plants around them. From remedies to rituals, every story revealed how deeply the natural world is woven into daily life in the hills. “It’s humbling,” she said, “to realise how much there is to learn not just from books, but from people.”

Journey Continues

As the first chapter comes to an end, their journey is only beginning. With each day in the field, every conversation with local communities, and every new skill they pick up, Anjali, Poonam, and Shashwat are growing into thoughtful, grounded researchers. Their paths may be different, but their commitment to learning and their connection to the land run deep. At SVF, we believe in their potential and are proud to walk alongside them as they continue exploring, questioning, and contributing to the world around them.