David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
A Conversation on Nature, Storytelling, and Legacy
RSVP here
Speakers
Even if you don’t recognise his name, you definitely recognise his voice.
David Attenborough recently celebrated his 100th birthday. Over a career spanning several decades, he brought the wonders of the natural world into living rooms across the globe: starting with observation and moving towards advocacy. Series such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet made him one of the most influential figures in natural history.
Though revered by many, his legacy is a subject of critical debate. From the framing of his subjects to the narrative around conservation, he has lived and broadcasted through multiple changing narratives around nature. How far is his influence? What is his responsibility?
In this session, Theodore Baskaran and Kartik Shanker, with Kalyan Varma as moderator, discuss Sir David Attenborough’s life and work. The session will conclude with an audience Q&A.
Speakers
Theodore Baskaran
S.Theodore Baskaran joined the conservation movement in the early seventies. A naturalist, author, and translator, his books include The Dance of the Sarus, The Book of Indian Dogs, and A Day with the Shama. He has co-edited My Native Land, a collection of essays by M. Krishnan, and translated works by Ulhas Karanth and Ramachandra Guha into Tamil. A longtime contributor to The Hindu and Frontline, he is a former trustee of WWF India and recipient of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation’s Lifetime Service Award in 2020.
Kartik Shanker
Kartik was inspired to a career in ecology by an ancient reptile, a sea turtle that crawled ashore late one night in Madras. He is part of the faculty at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, where he works on the ecology and evolution of reptiles, frogs, birds, and marine fauna. A founding trustee of Dakshin Foundation and founding editor of Current Conservation, he is the author of From Soup to Superstar, a history of sea turtle conservation in India. He has also written several books for younger readers, including Turtle Story and The Adventures of Philautus Frog.
Kalyan Varma
Kalyan Varma is an Emmy-nominated wildlife filmmaker and photographer documenting wildlife and environmental issues across India. Over two decades, he has worked on landmark blue chip wildlife series for the BBC and National Geographic.
You might also like
