My journey with life in water began as a child, fishing in the pristine water bodies of my village, Venniyoor (near Venganoor), in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala.

My interest in aquatic systems and the environment was sparked by several books, including Rachel Carson’s works on the ocean and environment, as well as the inspiration from many wonderful teachers (both formal and informal). I started my research career as a taxonomist focusing on metazoan parasites of flatfish and have since evolved into a generalist, exploring the diversity and distribution of a wide range of aquatic organisms, from whales to cnidarians.

Recently, my work has expanded to include integrative taxonomy, ecology, biogeography of aquatic organisms, invasion biology, molecular systematics and microplastics. I believe that the unwavering support from friends and students is a key element in my research. I am passionate about speaking to the younger generation about environment, oceans, sustainability issues and biodiversity science. I also collaborate with both governmental and non-governmental organizations (experiencing the sweet and sour of both) and engage with citizen scientists.