Reading, Writing, Trekking, Travelling, Birding, Photography, Bike riding
RUSHIKESH ASHOK PAWAR
Senior Project Fellow, Bustard And Florican Program, Bombay Natural History Society
Ahmednagar
Summary
Wildlife researcher specializing in grassland ecosystems across India, with field experience spanning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Expertise in species monitoring and habitat assessment, with focused work on Lesser Florican Sypheotides indicus and Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps, alongside landscape-level studies of Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra and Indian Grey Wolf Canis lupus pallipes.
Designed and executed large-scale ecological surveys using transects and point counts, generating robust datasets on species distribution, abundance, and habitat structure. Contributions have supported technical reports, conservation proposals, Biodiversity Heritage Site documentation, and research outputs in collaboration with Forest Departments and partner institutions—directly informing conservation planning and management decisions.
Overview
3
3
Languages
3
3
Certificates
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Project Fellow
Bombay Natural History Society
Madhya Pradesh
04.2025 - Current
Project Fellow
Bombay Natural History Society
Bidar And Ajmer
04.2023 - 03.2025
Project Associate
Forest Department for the Lesser Florican Project
10.2022 - 03.2023
Volunteer
BNHS Great Indian Bustard project
04.2022 - 09.2022
Volunteer
BNHS Lesser Florican Project
11.2021 - 03.2022
Hardware and Networking Engineer
SIIT, Mandangad
Mandangad
01.2015 - 01.2016
Education
M.Sc. - Zoology
01-2018
- University of Mumbai
- GPA: 58.35%
B.Sc. - Zoology
01-2016
- University of Mumbai
- GPA: 46.78%
HSC - undefined
01-2013
- Konkan Divisional Board
- GPA: 56%
SSC - undefined
01-2010
- Nashik Divisional Board
- GPA: 56.80%
Skills
Exercises in Animal Classification
Exercises in oceanography
Exercises in Genetic Engineering
Exercises in Evolution
Exercises in Ecology
Certification
MS-CIT (2010-11)
Interests
Timeline
Senior Project Fellow - Bombay Natural History Society
04.2025 - Current
Project Fellow - Bombay Natural History Society
04.2023 - 03.2025
Project Associate - Forest Department for the Lesser Florican Project
10.2022 - 03.2023
Volunteer - BNHS Great Indian Bustard project
04.2022 - 09.2022
Volunteer - BNHS Lesser Florican Project
11.2021 - 03.2022
Hardware and Networking Engineer - SIIT, Mandangad
01.2015 - 01.2016
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar jr. College - HSC,
Maharana pratap high School - SSC,
Dapoli Urban bank Sr.science college - M.Sc., Zoology
Dapoli Urban Bank Senior Science College - B.Sc., Zoology
Extra-curricular activities & Other Achievements
Professional Skills: Professional Photographer, Wildlife Photographer, Bird Watcher, Writer
Social Services: Member of Maharashtra Harit Sena, Conservation of heritage sites, Swachh Bharat Mission activist, Publishing articles about birds
Extension work (2013-14): Participate in annual extension activities for 120 hours. related to IT, industry orientation, entrepreneurship career guidance, women's empowerment, population education and open schooling
Annual function (2014, 2015): Member of Organising Committees, Volunteer, Anchor.
Workshop: How to manage money and be a smart investor, organised by National Stock Exchange India Limited and Consumer Guidance Society of India, Photography
Professional Skills: Professional Photographer, Wildlife Photographer, Bird Watcher, Writer
Social Services: Member of Maharashtra Harit Sena, Conservation of heritage sites, Swachh Bharat Mission activist, Publishing articles about birds
Languages Known
English
Hindi
Marathi
Microsoft Office Tools
MS-Word, MS-PowerPoint, MS-Excel
Computer Application Skills
Google Earth, Arc-GIS, QGIS
Academic Field Work
- Study of Fish Net - 2016
- Collection of the aquatic Algae and Fungi – 2018
Publications
- Narwade, S.S., H. Ramesh, R. Pawar, P. Sathiyaselvam, Ananda Babu, V. Ittigi and K. Rithe (2026). To Assess the Status of the Birds in Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve – a Ramsar Site and Tungabhadra Dam Backwater. Progress report submitted by the BNHS to the Karnataka Forest Department. Pp. 74.
- Narwade, S.S., S. Shrivastav, S. Bishnoi, N. Bora, S. Purohit and R. Pawar (2025): Dancer of the Monsoon: The Lesser Florican’s Tale, Published by Bombay Natural History Society. Pp- 40
- Akhash, J., M. Dhurve, P. Sathiyaselvam, R. Pawar, S. Narwade & K. Rithe (2025). Sensitivity mapping for conservation of Sarus Crane Grus Antigone in Gondia, Maharashtra. Report submitted by the Bombay Natural History Society to the District Administration and Forest Department of Gondia, Maharashtra. Pp 48.
- Narwade, Sujit, Neelkanth Bora, Rushikesh Pawar, Anthargam Mohan, Unmesh Mitra & Bivash Pandav (2024): A bird sensitivity map for
Great Indian Bustard and associated species in the Thar Desert Landscape, Rajasthan, India. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 121(3): 241–254.
doi: 10.17087/jbnhs/2024/v121/168054 - Narwade S. S., R. Pawar, N. Mujumdar, Vivekanand Baburao, M.M. Vaanathi, M. Pawar, S. Bole, N. Ghag, S. Shrivasthav and K. Rithe (2024). Conservation of Critically Endangered Lesser Florican and associated grassland fauna by setting up a long-term monitoring programme, habitat improvement and outreach programme in Bidar district, Karnataka. Progress report Jointly published by BNHS and Bidar Forest Division. Pp 44.
- Pawar, R.A., S.S. Narwade, Vivekanand Baburao, M.M. Vaanathi, M. Pawar, P. Gosavi, S. Hangal, S. Bole, and N. Ghag (2024): Baseline survey of avifauna in man-made Karanja water reservoir, the drought-prone area of Bidar, Karnataka. Jointly published by BNHS and Bidar Forest Division. Pp 62.
- Narwade, S.S., R. Pawar, A. Mohan, K. Dabholkar (2023). Status survey for grassland-associated species, including the Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican in Maharashtra, India (Solapur, Dharashiv, Previously Osmanabad, Latur districts, and a quick visit to Chatrapati Sambhajinagar, previously Aurangabad and Chandrapur districts). Published by the Bombay Natural History Society, pp. 61
- Narwade, S.S., R.A. Pawar, Vivekanand Baburao, M.M. Vaanathi, N. Mujumdar, S. Hangal, M. Pawar, P. Gosavi, and B. Pandav (2023): Developing Strategies for Conservation of Last Remaining Population of Lesser Florican in Deccan, Bidar District, Karnataka with additional note on surveys conducted in Yadgiri and Kalaburgi districts, as well as in Eastern Plains of Karnataka. Jointly published by BNHS and Bidar Forest Division. Pp. 148
- Pawar, R.A., S.S. Narwade, Vivekanand Baburao, M.M. Vaanathi, B. Pandav, M. Pawar, S. Bole, and N. Ghag (2023). Assessment of the population of Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra in Bidar District, Karnataka. Jointly published by BNHS and Bidar Forest Division. Pp. 95.