Strong skills: Policy development for Biodiversity Conservation; Environment Governance; and Natural Resource Management; ABS Mechanism; development of Community based conservation policies and implementation of projects; Implementation of conservation related Acts; Training of Trainers

Expert Subject Areas: Forest Type analysis; Vegetation mapping, Plant Taxonomy, Human Wildlife Conflict etc, BHS; PBR Documentation.

Working Subject Areas: Ecosystem Restoration & Species conservation, Habitat analysis, Ecosystem assessment, Ecosystem Services & PES, Community Conservation Agreements, Alien and Invasive species, Important Plant Areas (IPA), Fragmentation ecology,

Supporting Key Areas: Plant Taxonomy, GIS based data analysis

Awards

• Team member of CLP Follow-up Award Winner 2009 and Alumni of CLP

Published many scientific Papers in reputed national/ international journals, 8 technical reports, guided more than 23 MSc students, and published 7 Booklets. In addition  to that Rahul has 2 patents

List of Publications 

• Appointed as Members of Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) by the Government of Maharashtra from the April 2021, as per the provisions of Biological Diversity Act 2002 and Rules of Maharashtra 2008.
• In 2020, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun appointed me as a one of the Expert Members for ‘Management Effectiveness Evaluation’ (MEE) Committee under MoEFCC, Govt of India, for the assessment of 210 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in India.
• Appointed as an Expert Member of High-Level Monitoring Committee (HLMC) of Mahabaleshwar Pachgani Eco Sensitive Zone (MPESZ) by the MoEFCC, New Delhi (period from March 2017 to August 2021) with ref F.No. 2/40/2005-ESZ (RE)-part file, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (ESZ Division), Government of India dated 14^th March 2017 under Notification S.O. 52 (E) dated 17^th Jan 2001.
• Selected as IUCN Member of Species Survival Commission Western Ghats Plant Specialist Groups and IUCN Member of Protected Areas Commission WCPA network and OECM Task Force of IUCN for period of 2017-20.

1. Guidance for M.Sc. dissertations
   • Assessment of biodiversity and environmental changes in pre and post the mining ban areas of Sanguem taluka, Goa, by Ramdas Doifode, WCS, BVIEER, 2020-21.
   • Assessment of status and distribution of smooth coated otters in Telangana, by Shahin Shaikh, WCS, BVIEER 2020-21.
   • Perceptions of local people towards conservation of forest resources in Marwahi (MPCA) Chhattisgarh by Nagma Parveen. M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2019-20.
   • Status Survey of Hornbills (Bucerotidae) in Dandeli Region, Western Ghats, India by Shreesh Kaulgud, M.Sc. Wildlife Conservation Action, BVIEER, 2019-20.
   • Distribution, Abundance and Awareness of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in the Velha taluka of Maharashtra, India by Kirti Vyas, M.Sc. WCA, BVIEER, 2018-19.
   • Study of wild edible plants using by tribal of Baksa, Assam by Priyanka Talukdar, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2018-19.
   • Survey of solid waste management practices & issues in villages of Mahabaleshwar Pachgani Eco-Sensitive Zone by Janhavi More, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2018-19.
   • Impacts of ecotourism and exiting policy for its governance in Sindhudurga district, Maharashtra, Vaishanavi Uchagaokar, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2018-19.
   • Role of Vulture Restaurants in the conservation & present status in Western Maharashtra by Apurva Bandal, M.Sc. WCA, BVIEER, 2017-18.
   • Assessment of protocol for snake capturing and its impact on their conservation by Raunak Khare, M.Sc. WCA, BVIEER, 2017-18.
   • Sources of pollution to Mula-Mutha in Pune and its assessment by Hanumant Ghadge, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2017-18
   • Development of Eco-tourism plan for the Bordi, Dahanu Taluka, Palghar district by Tapan Chaudhari, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2017-18.
   • Biodiversity Status of Urban Green Spaces in Pune by Evangelin Masih, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2017-18.
   • Creating a baseline database useful for development of People’s Biodiversity Register in Maharashtra by Akanksha Borkar, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2016-17.
   • Occupancy modelling for tigers (Panthera tigris) in Non-Protected areas around Bor Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra by Dhanusha Kawalkar, M.Sc. WCA, BVIEER, 2016-17.
   • Studies of Green Building Policy and identification of gaps in implementation of green building policies in India by Payal Gunaki, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2014-15.
   • Identification and evaluation of biodiversity hotspecks in Western Ghats of Maharashtra with special reference to the reptile diversity by Vishal Prasad, M.Sc. EVST, BVIEER, 2014-15.
   • Identification and evaluation of biodiversity hotspecks in Western Ghats of Maharashtra with special reference to the bird diversity by Laxmikant Desai, M.Sc. EVST of BVIEER, 2014-15.
   • A holistic comparison of organic and inorganic farming practices in Pune district by Megha Vanave, M.Sc. Environment Sciences from Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research for 2013-14.
   • Study of vegetation pattern of the Katraj Ghat, Pune, Maharashtra by Manish Valvi, Department of Environment Science, University Of Pune 411008, 2006-08
   • Study of vegetation on Prabalgad, Tal. Panvel, Dist. Raigad, Maharashtra by Saurabh Zimre, Department of Botany, Modern College, Pune 411005, 2005 – 07.
   • Ecological study of vegetation on Prabalgad, Dist. Raigad, Maharashtra by Rohit Damare, Department of Botany, Modern College, Pune 05 2005 – 07.
   • Study of ephemeral and annual plants in Pune and around area, Maharashtra by Prajakta Pathare, Department of Botany, Modern College, Pune 05, 2006-08.

• Deposited one ‘Type Specimens’ of herbarium (Eriocolon koynense) and one ‘Neotype specimen’ (Smithia oligantha) in Botanical Survey of India, Pune

• Punekar, S. A., N. V. Malpure & P. Lakshminarasimhan. 2003. Five New species of Eriocolon (Eriocaulaceae) from the Western Ghats, India. Rheedea, Vol 13, Pp.19-27. (Author of E. koyense – one of the species)

• Teaching Experience – PG (5 + yrs)

1. Visiting faculty for M.Sc.–Environmental Science Technology; M. Sc.–Geoinformatics & M.Sc.-Wildlife Conservation Actions at Institute of Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Dhankawadi, Pune 411043 from Sep 2012 till today,

         (Subjects – Bio-statistic; Plant Taxonomy and Ecosystem; Eco-restoration;).

1. Visiting faculty for M.Sc.– Environmental Science, S.P. College Interdisciplinary Sciences Department, Tilak Road Pune, Maharashtra (Subject – Env Audit) from Jan 2021 till today
2. Visiting faculty for M. Architecture – at College of Architecture, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Dhankawadi Pun 411043 for 2014-15, (Subject – Urban Wetlands).
3. Visiting faculty for M.Sc. – Bioinformatics at College of Bioinformatics, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Dhankawadi, Pune 411043 for 2013 – 2014, (Subject – Bio-statistic).
4. Visiting faculty for M.Sc. – Botany at Fergusson College, Pune 411005 in 2009-2010, (Subject – Plant Systematics).
5. Visiting faculty for M.Sc. – Plant Biodiversity – Ramkrishna More College, Akurdi, Pune 411027 in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, (Subject – Traditional Knowledge Systems).

• My contribution to OECM have been acknowledge in IUCN-WCPA, 2019. Recognizing and Reporting Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures. Technical Report. IUCN, Switzerland.
• Participated as an Observer during CMS COP 15 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat during 15th to 23rd Feb 2020. Contributed mainly for designing resolution and coordinated work with Birdlife International.
• Participated as an Observer and coordinated two side events during COP (Conference of Parties) 14 of CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) from 16th to 29th Nov 2018 at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
• Participated as a Member for 22nd meeting of ‘Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical & Technological Advice’ (SBSTTA) followed by 2nd meeting of ‘Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)’ of CBD at Montreal from 2nd Jul to 13th July 2018 on behalf of BNHS, Mumbai – Birdlife International India partner.
• Designed new course under Green Skill Development Program (GSDP) for PBR development in Maharashtra under ENVIS of MoEFCC. Successfully conducted two batches of this course.
• Conducted several workshops, meetings, group discussions and delivered lead lectures on ‘Biodiversity Management Committees, Peoples’ Biodiversity Register and Biological Diversity Act 2002’, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, PESA, FRA & BD Act, Access & Benefit Sharing Mechanism & legal issues, Governance with BD Act etc throughout the State since 2013 and onwards.