Background

The global climate is in shambles. As a result of climate change, numerous catastrophic disasters have occurred. They highlight a sobering reality: due to human activity, the climate is changing, with major ramifications for ecosystems, humanity, and biodiversity around the world. It is no longer Climate Change; it is a full blown Climate Crisis. The impact on Indigenous peoples and the jungles of India must not be disregarded while the international community concentrates on strategies to combat the effects of climate change and to transition to a low-carbon future.

The sustenance and wellbeing of indigenous communities depend on the regional biodiversity and ecosystem services. Additionally, as these communities are on the frontline when it comes to experiencing the consequences of the climate crisis, they have a right to participate in discussions about matters that affect them and to have their knowledge used in decision-making. 

Nayona started writing The Tiger Diaries (a book that she eventually published in 2023), from age 11, which got her really interested in the Forests of India, Tigers and all other creatures in the ‘jungles’ of India. Travelling around the jungles of India, Nayona understood early on, the environmental impact of tourism in the delicate ecosystems of the forests as well as how job generation and employment of the indigenous people hinged on tourism within these delicate forest zones. 

She decided to explore further by using these series of interviews with leading bureaucrats, environmental experts, NGOs working with indigenous tribes in India and members of the United Nations to breakdown the stories behind these beautiful indigenous tribes and their plight, as well as study policy initiatives from a state level, central level and at a global level. 

Nayona also launched a full-fledged fundraiser for COHAS (Community of Hope and Support) to build a library for Adivasi Children of the Banjara Community, that COHAS works with for their upliftment and education through art-based education and life skills.