Interview Summary
HN Kumara speaks about his influences during childhood and education that led to a career in wildlife research with a focus on primates and conservation. He begins by mentioning his family history and then narrates several interactions with wildlife in his native Chikmagalur, particularly an encounter with a tiger, that shaped his interest in wildlife and the natural world. He also mentions other influences such as book and social circles that influenced his interest. He then speaks about his teaching career and the later switch from teaching to wildlife research as he joined a project studying mammals, specifically primates such as the lion-tailed macaque with Dr. Mewa Singh. He reflects on his experiences carrying out fieldwork and a rising consciousness about conservation issues. He speaks about pursuing a PhD without a Master’s degree and mentions choosing his PhD research topic.
(00:00:01) Childhood, schooling and family background
(00:04:30) Tiger sighting during childhood and other exposure to wildlife
(00:10:30) Influence of teachers and books on Kumara’s interest in biology
(00:16:28) Exposure to wildlife and protected areas during undergraduate college and later teaching
(00:24:01) Career choice of teaching and choice to study Life Sciences
(00:27:50) Choice to switch career to wildlife research and influences of family
(00:33:18) Reflection on exposure to conservation during Anaimalai Hills project, including reflection on personal journey and experiences
(00:42:58) Experience collecting data during fieldwork during the Anaimalai Hills project
(00:52:50) Career shift from teaching to studying primates and mammals in Anaimalai Hills, projects in collaboration with the Forest Department, and interactions with other research groups in the area
(00:58:22) Developing an interest in conservation during the years working in Anaimalai Hills
(01:01:46) Studying slender loris in India
(01:08:19) Experience of the first slender loris sighting in Dindigul district
(01:14:16) Conservation efforts for lion-tailed macaques in India
(01:21:06) PhD research on mammals outside protected areas in Karnataka, India
Dates
- Creation: 2023-05-18
Creator
- From the File: Sridhar, Hari (Interviewer, Person)
- From the File: Udaipurwala, Umm-E-Salama (Processing Archivist, Person)
- From the File: H.N., Kumara (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Level of Access: Open/Online
Biography
Honnavalli N Kumara is a ecologist and a conservation researcher who has worked on mammals, particularly on lion-tailed macaques and slender loris in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He is currently a scientist at SACON, and has worked at NIAS as a part of the young scientist fellowship. HN Kumara was born in 1973 in Madaghatta village in Hassan district and brought up in Chikmagalur district, Karnataka. He pursued a BSc in Life Science followed by a BEd. He pursued a PhD at University of Mysore.
Extent
89 Minutes
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Archives at NCBS Repository
National Centre for Biological Sciences - Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Bangalore Karnataka 560065 India
+9180 6717 6010
+9180 6717 6011
archives@ncbs.res.in