About Ishan Shanavas | Podcaster, Founder of Eco-Inspire

Quick Bio

I am from Bangalore, India.

I am the author of the bestselling book The Light of Wilder Things, about my teenage years chasing wildlife while navigating the trials of growing up. The book has sold thousands of copies across India.
I am the founder of Eco-Inspire, a national education programme that brings the wonder of wildlife and sustainability into classrooms across India. Through storytelling, photography, and interactive sessions, Eco-Inspire has sparked curiosity and inspired over 25,000 students to care for the natural world.

I write a newsletter called The Owlet about the things I’m curious about, and on Instagram, I share educational content about wildlife and the environment.

I host Curiously with Ishan Shanavas, a podcast that explores ideas and diverse stories through deep conversations with thinkers, creators, and changemakers.
I studied at Rishi Valley School, a boarding school next to a jungle in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, and received my undergraduate degree from Ashoka University in Environmental Studies, Entrepreneurship, and Sociology.

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The Owlet

Every Saturday, I share my work along with links about ecology, photography, creativity, and the human condition from across the web directly into your inbox. Join them and get my Wild-India Reading List as a bonus!

Full Story

Hi, I’m Ishan Shanavas — someone endlessly curious about nature, people, technology, and the stories that connect them.

Over the years, that curiosity has taken many forms: as an environmentalist, an entrepreneurship student, an author, and a speaker. As a child, encyclopedias and National Geographic TV shows fueled my love for nature. I sat mesmerized by gazelles striding across grassy plains and elephant herds silhouetted at sunset.

From my balcony, I would spend hours observing squirrels, trying to decipher their calls. This passion for wildlife shaped much of my life, beginning with my years at Rishi Valley School, an alternative boarding school nestled next to a jungle in the Eastern Ghats. There, I quickly became the student known for tossing out snakes, frogs, and scorpions from the hostel. I often bunked class to watch snakes and birds, much to my teachers’ dismay.

That path led me to Ashoka University, where I studied Environmental Studies along with Entrepreneurship and Sociology. While there, I wrote my first book, The Light of Wilder Things, about my teenage adventures in the wild and the lessons I drew from them. The book became a #1 Amazon Bestseller across four categories and sold thousands of copies across India. Its purpose was simple: to remind people that there are still wild spaces and creatures worth protecting.

That belief also fueled Eco-Inspire, my national environmental education programme. I travelled across 13 cities in 5 states, reaching more than 25,000 students. Through stories, photographs, and interactive sessions, I worked to bring children closer to the natural world. Those encounters taught me that conservation isn’t just about protecting wildlife — it’s about inspiring people to care.

Alongside this, I host Curiously with Ishan Shanavas, a curiosity-driven podcast featuring trailblazers from diverse fields — writers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and creatives. The conversations explore timeless questions around creativity, nature, innovation, and
self-discovery. It’s less about giving answers and more about finding new ways to see the world.

I am deeply interested in environmental consulting, policy, and entrepreneurship, because I believe the challenges we face today — from climate change to career uncertainty — require interdisciplinary solutions. If there’s a common thread through all of this, it’s connection: connecting children with wildlife, connecting students with opportunities, connecting businesses with meaningful technology, and connecting myself with the larger world I’m trying to understand and impact.

This is still very much a journey. I’m experimenting, learning, building, and growing — and I hope to bring others along with me.

If you’d like to get in touch, drop me an email at ishan.shanavas@gmail.com or head over to my contact page.