Drawn to the pressing environmental challenges of climate change and habitat disturbance, Suman Mallick found his calling in conservation biology. "I came to Ahmedabad University with a strong sense of purpose," he reflects. "The looming threats to ecosystems made it impossible to look away."

Suman, who earned his doctorate degree at Ahmedabad University’s 15th Annual Convocation, travelled from West Bengal to Ahmedabad University to make a difference and create a better space. At Ahmedabad University, Suman narrowed his focus to managing Amazon Sailfin Catfish by studying its biology and behavioural interactions with native fish species. He conducted fieldwork in the East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar conservation site that enhanced his knowledge of ecological and environmental sustainability.

Suman now works as a Senior Project Associate at the Wildlife Institute of India on a project, "Addressing Wildlife Entanglement in Discarded Fishing Nets Through Community-Based Approaches." He works on mitigating the threat of fishing net entanglement to endangered species such as the Ganges River dolphin, freshwater turtles, and otters. He is working on raising awareness and managing discarded and abandoned fishing nets by recycling them into commercially viable products, thereby reducing their impact on aquatic ecosystems and the species they support.

" My journey here, with its share of challenges and accomplishments, owes much to my supervisor, Professor Ratna Ghosal, and the supportive faculty and peers who helped keep the spark alive in me," said Suman.

He added, "A special mention goes to the additional support I received, including fee waivers, fellowships, and interaction sessions with renowned scientists. These opportunities transformed me from a researcher into a motivated, confident, and passionate individual, committed to making a difference, someone with a strong desire to do good, create ripples of change, and lead by example."