Mr. Julian Matthews

Founder – TOFT

Founder of TOFT. He has worked for two decades in the Indian Subcontinent to advocate sustainable tourism as a partner in tiger conservation and rewilding the Indian forests through the TOFT campaign – whilst encouraging sustainability to the travel trade community worldwide. Currently he is involved in rewilding and natural capital in UK and abroad. In 1990’s he founded a safari and conservation travel business, now part of the Steppes Travel Group.

Mr. Bittu Sahgal

Founder – Sanctuary Nature Foundation

The Founder of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Editor of Sanctuary Asia, India’s foremost magazine on nature, wildlife, conservation, and the environment, is a highly regarded author, editor, and conservationist in India. With a deep commitment to raising awareness, he has published a multitude of impactful works, including coffee table books showcasing India’s national parks and sanctuaries.

Dr. Anish Andheria

President & CEO, Wildlife Conservation Trust, Conservationist, Naturalist, Nature Educator and Nature & Wildlife Photographer.

Dr. Anish Andheria heads the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) a not-for-profit that works with over 160 national parks and sanctuaries across 23 states of India. He is a 2008 Carl Zeiss Conservation Awardee as well as a 2017 UAA-Institute of Chemical Technology Distinguished Alumnus Awardee. He is a Member of the State Boards of Wildlife of Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir and an Independent Director of Wildlife Conservation Society-India (WCS-India). He is associated with several national level nature conservation initiatives. A professional Nature & Wildlife Photographer of repute, he has been part of the jury of umpteen photography and environment film competitions.

Ms. Philippa J. Kaya

Creative Director of Indian Experiences 

Philippa J Kaye is one of the world’s foremost authorities on travel to India and Nepal, with over 28 years of expertise in the field. Philippa consults to the travel trade, providing destination training, content and marketing to Indian travel companies. She authored “Escape to India,” a novel based on her true story of running a safari lodge in Kanha National Park. She is currently writing a book on Sustainable Stays of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Mr. Rohit Varma

Founder, Nature inFocus

Rohit is a wildlife filmmaker and photographer whose journey into the wild began in 2010, after he left his corporate life behind. Driven by a passion for nature storytelling, he went on to found Nature inFocus, a leading media and production house spotlighting stories from the wild. Over the years, he has worked on acclaimed films including Project Tiger, The Last Frontier, The Real Jungle Book, and Destination Wild India.

Ms. Ishita Khanna

Founder & Director, Ecosphere

Ishita Khanna is the Founder and Director of Ecosphere, an award-winning social enterprise that brings together responsible travel and holistic development in the Indian Himalayas. She is also the Co-Founder of MUSE, an NGO committed to addressing the challenges faced by marginalized rural and urban communities across India and fostering impactful, community-led solutions since 2002.

Mr. Anirudh Chaoji

Director Ran Mangli Foundation

Anirudh founded one of the most popular Wildlife and Adventure Camping organisations – Pugmarks Eco-tours, before selling it and moving to the Maharashtra Forest Department at Melghat Tiger Reserve, and then Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve – working in the field of Community based Conservation, through Eco tourism. This was in persuasion of the belief that solutions can be found by being inside the system and not just being a critical outsider.

Ms. Navina Jafa

Dr. Navina Jafa is a distinguished scholar and practitioner in heritage tourism, a renowned Kathak dancer, and author of Exhibiting India: Art of Heritage Walks (Government of India, 2024). She pioneered experiential heritage walks in India and received the ICONIC Award 2025 for Heritage Tourism, among others. Her work links heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, and performing arts. Recognised by leading institutions, Dr. Jafa’s interdisciplinary efforts empower communities through culture and education, training over 300 teachers in heritage integration.