Sep 07 2025 to Sep 07 2025 11 a.m.

EVENT HAS ENDED

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Nilgiris: A Shared Wilderness, a feature-length wildlife documentary, is a story of hope, fragility, and interconnected futures, where humans and wildlife coexist within the blurred boundaries of a shared wilderness. Presented by Felis Films and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, and distributed nationwide by Dheeraj Films, the film released on July 18, 2025. It marked a milestone as the first feature length documentary to receive a nationwide theatrical release in India. It has won several international awards already.

Let’s go behind the scenes with director Sandesh Kadur and Executive Producer Rohini Nilekani to find out how and why the film was made. A short film about the making of the film, Nilgiris Field Diaries, will be screened. Moderator Rekha Menon will probe what lies ahead and whether India needs more such storytelling to conserve our precious biodiversity.

Image Credits:

Thumbnail & Poster: A tiger rests on a rocky outcrop. ©Parinith Gowda/Felis Images

Header & Backdrop: The mountain monarch, the Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), is endemic to the Western Ghats. They are master climbers and, when threatened, will make their way up near vertical cliff faces where their predators cannot reach them. © Sandesh Kadur/Felis Images

Speakers

Rohini Nilekani
Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
Rohini Nilekani is an author and philanthropist and has been a strong influence in the Indian social sector over the past three decades. Her philanthropic work spans different sectors of Indian civil society. She founded Arghyam, a foundation for sustainable water and sanitation, and co-founded Pratham Books, a nonprofit enabling access to reading for millions of children. Currently, she is the Chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and a Co-founder and Director of EkStep, a nonprofit education platform. Rohini and her husband, Nandan Nilekani, are signatories to the Giving Pledge, pledging to give away half of their wealth to philanthropy.

Rohini’s first book, Stillborn, a medical thriller, and her second, Uncommon Ground, were published by Penguin Books India. She is also the author of 16 books for young children.

Sandesh Kadur
Filmmaker
A BAFTA award-winning filmmaker, and National Geographic Fellow & Explorer, Sandesh was recently named an Explorer Trustee of the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees. His groundbreaking documentaries have aired globally on networks like National Geographic, BBC, Netflix, Apple, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet.

His notable projects include Our Planet (Netflix), Planet Earth II (BBC), and the National Geographic series Wild Cats of India and India’s Wild Leopards. He is the co-author of two books: Sahyadris: India’s Western Ghats—A Vanishing Heritage (2005) and Himalaya—Mountains of Life (2013). Sandesh’s first documentary and book raised awareness about the biodiversity of the Western Ghats, contributing to the region’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. His accolades include a 2017 Emmy nomination and a BAFTA for his work on Planet Earth II. He is the founder and director of Felis Creations and co-founder of Conservania.

Rekha Menon
Former Chairperson, Accenture India
Rekha Menon is an adventurer, wildlife enthusiast and cyclist .The Nilgiris is her second home. The Former Chairperson of Accenture India and the Former Chairperson of Nasscom, she is an Independent Board Member at Legrand, Biocon, and XLRI, and an Advisor to corporates and startups.