Prajna PANDA

Prajna Paramita Panda is a conservation professional currently serving as the Program Manager for the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG). Working earlier for over a decade with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, she contributed to national policies, species conservation programs, and international environmental negotiations. With a strong academic background in wildlife science and conservation management, she plays a pivotal role in coordinating regional efforts to conserve Asian elephants across their range. She brings extensive experience in research, field coordination, stakeholder engagement and policy advocacy, focusing on human-elephant conflict mitigation, habitat connectivity, and community-based conservation. At AsESG, she leads multi-country initiatives, supports scientific and technical collaboration across the Asian elephant range, fosters regional conservation strategies, and builds cross-sector partnerships. She also plays an active role in capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and representing the group at global forums.