Mr.A. Udhayan, I.F.S., has been the Director of the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Vandalur in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department since 14th June 2022. He belongs to 1991 batch of Indian Forest Service of Tamilnadu.
He holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from Jawarharlal University, New Delhi, and Post Graduate diploma in wildlife Management from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy and Management, Indian Institute of India, Bangalore
He has several years of experience in the field of wildlife and biodiversity conservation, having worked in various positions in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.
He had also served as Principal of the Eastern Forest Rangers College in Kurseong on deputation. As Deputy Director of the Forest Survey of India, as a Scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, and a Specialist at the SAARC Forestry Centre in Thimphu, Bhutan
Most recently, he served as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
Nihar Ranjan has joined as Additional Director of the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Vandalur on 18th June, 2022. He is an Indian Forest Service Officer (2001 Batch - Tamilnadu Cadre).
Nihar is an Engineer (B. Tech in Electrical Engineering). He graduated from Indian Institute of Technology, BHU, Varanasi. He also holds Master’s degree in Forest management from FRI Deemed University. Having worked in various positions in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, as DFO/CF/CCF, he has nearly two decades of experience in the field of Conservation of Forests & Wildlife. Also, he is experienced in management of Tiger Reserve (he was Field Director of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve) and captive wildlife management (he has served as Deputy Director of Arignar Anna Zoological Park for nearly 2 years) and also working in Corporations (he has served as General Manager and then as Managing Director of Arasu Rubber Corporation for nearly 2 years).
Thiru.M.G.Ganesan has been the Deputy Director of Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Vandalur in the Tamil Nadu Forest Department since 12th October 2022. He received his M.Sc Agri from Govind Ballabh Pant Agricultural University and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttrakand and joined as Agriculture officer in 2009. Earlier he served as ACF in Squad and Vigilance unit at Virudhunagar circle where he had handled many marine offences. He has also served as Eco-development officer in KMTR and as DD at ATR and handled tribal issues, Man-animal conflict and tiger cub rewildling for the first time in Tamil Nadu.
Dr.A.Manimozhi
Co-ordinator of research unit
M.V.Sc. Veterinary and Animal husbandry extension, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai
Co-ordinator of research unit
B.V.Sc. and PGD ( Wildlife Disease Management), Madras Veterinary College, Chennai
Co-ordinator of research unit
PG in Environmental Sciences from PSG College of Arts and Sciences Coimbatore.
M.Sc Wildlife Biology AVC College Mayiladuthurai
Ph.D Zoology (Board field Entomology) Queen Mary's College Chennai
M.Sc Biomedical Genetics, Dr. ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Taramani Chennai
B.Sc. Zoology
Assistant at Morphometry lab - Centre for Wildlife Forensic Sciences and Animal care lab – Centre for Animal Care Sciences
Dr. C. Bala Amarnath done his PhD in Biotechnology and Pathology from ICAR - Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai, TamilNadu and the Doctoral degree awarded by the University of Madras, Chennai, Tamilnadu. He was the Scientific Officer in Orbito Asia Diagnostics, Chennai, Tamilnadu and he has wide experience in the molecular diagnostic platform via Real-time PCR, Development of Monoclonal Antibodies, and RNAi technology. Currently, he is working as a Scientist (TANII Project); his research is devoted to the Development of a LAMP-ELISA detection system for Anthrax and Tuberculosis infection in Elephants, Deer, and Gaur. He has qualified for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) – 2016 -Biotechnology; awarded the Department of Biotechnology (Govt. Of India) fellowship for pursuing the Advance Post Graduate Diploma in Molecular Diagnostics. Also, he has secured 60th Rank in the All India Biotechnology talent search by Biotech Helpline Foundation.
Dr. Kalaiyarasan obtained his PhD from DRDO-Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh, J&K, India in the field of Nanobiotechnology. He was a Scientist at ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh, Assam; Project Scientist (World Health Organization) at CSIR- Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi and Project Scientist at Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, Punjab. Currently, he is working as a Scientist (TANII Project); his research focuses on the Identification of modified or altered or degraded meat derivatives of deer species to the species level using high though put DNA high-resolution melt. He has been awarded DRDO-Fellowship-2015, GATE-2013, CSIR-NET-2015 and Building Bharat-Boston Biosciences (B4) Young Scientist by South Asia Institute, Harvard University and Department of Biotechnology, India.
Dr. Muhsina obtained her PhD from the Molecular Biology Lab, Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College (GAC), Ooty affiliated with Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. At GAC, she described three new species and re-described two species of Springtails from India. At present, she works as a Scientist under APO projects; her work mainly focusing the STR-based genetic database of leopards for geographic assignment in wildlife forensics & determination of population genetic structure. She has been awarded Maulana Azard National Fellowship, University Grants Commission, New Delhi.
Dr. Nittu George pursued her PhD in Zoology (Wildlife Biology) from Government Arts College (GAC), Ooty. At GAC, she worked on the ‘genetic study of Bengal Tigers of Western Ghats’. Keeping in view of 'establishing the molecular wildlife forensic techniques. Post PhD she also worked as an Associate Researcher, at GAC, Ooty. Presently, she is working as a Scientist under APO Project and her research emphasizes the use of molecular techniques for the identification of species and geographical origin of organisms from seized products in the wildlife trade.
Dr. T.T. Shameer completed his PhD in Wildlife biology from Government Arts College (GAC), Ooty affiliated with Bharathiar University. He has extensive expertise in areas of Landscape Ecology, Population Ecology, Community Ecology, Ecological Modelling, Climate Change etc. He was a researcher at the Wildlife Institute of India, United Nations Development Programme, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Kerala Forest Department and Andra Pradesh Forest Department. He studied various aspects (i.e. interspecific interaction, population estimation, species distribution) of carnivores i.e., Tiger (Panthera tigris) to small cats like a Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus). Currently, he is working as a scientist at the centre for conservation education and his research focuses on Human-wildlife Conflict and Wet Land Bird Monitoring.
Dr. Paulraj acquired his Ph.D. in Zoology from Bharathidasan University, Trichy in 2001; B.Sc. in Zoology and M.Sc.in Zoology from St Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. He was a Scientist at Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, from 2003 to 2021 and Scientist at G.S. Gill Research Institute, Guru Nanak College, Chennai, from 2021 to 2022. Currently, he is working as a Scientist under APO projects; his research work is primarily focusing on ‘Surveillance of Chronic kidney disease by analysis of serum symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) in captive tigers of AAZP’ and ‘Hematological and biochemical assessment of health in camp elephants in Anamalai and Mudhumalai Elephant camps’.
B.Tech and M.Tech in Biopharmaceutical Technology from Anna University, Chennai
M.Sc in Biotechnology from Jaya Arts and Science College, Thiruninravur.
B.Sc in Biotechnology from Valliammal Arts and Science College, Chennai.
M.Sc in Applied Genetics from Bangalore University
B.Sc in Spl.Zoology specialization in Biotechnology from Lady Doak College
B.Sc Geology from V.O. Chidambaram College, Tuticorin
M.Sc Geology from V.O. Chidambaram College, Tuticorin
B.Tech in Biotechnology from Velsuniversity, Chennai.
M.Tech in Biotechnology from Sree Satha Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chennai.
M.Sc in Zoology from Madras Christian College, Chennai
B.Sc in Zoology from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore
M.Sc in Zoology from Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
B.Sc in Zoology from PN Autonomous College, Khordha, Odisha.
M.Sc in Zoology from University of Madras, Chennai.
B.Sc in Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology from Guru Nanak College, Chennai
M.Sc in Zoology from University of Madras, Chennai.
B.Sc in Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology from Queen Mary's College, Chennai.
M.Sc in Biotechnology from Pondichery University, Ponidcherry
B.Sc in Biotechnology from Achariya Arts and Science College, Pondicherry
M.Sc and B.Sc in Zoology (Specialization in Biotechnology) from Lady Doak College, Madurai.
M.Sc in Biotechnology from Alagappa University, Karaikudi
B.Sc in Biotechnology from JJ College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai
B.Sc in Biotechnology from Vels’s University, Chennai.