Oct 12 2026 to Oct 12 2026 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

65 min | English with subtitles | India | Ganesh Shankar Raj

Echoes of the Earth: Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Resilience in Karnataka and Kerala explores how traditional knowledge, shaped by centuries of observation, can build climate resilience and nurture a careful, sustainable relationship with the environment.

Through personal stories and intimate portraits of everyday life, the film highlights practices that conserve forests, biodiversity and natural resources. It also reflects on how climate change is already affecting plants, wildlife and ecosystems, particularly among the Soliga communities of Karnataka. What can these knowledge systems teach us about living sustainably, and what might be overlooked when their ecological dimensions are viewed mainly through cultural or religious traditions?

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on the role of Indigenous women as knowledge holders and contributors to environmental stewardship. Indigenous knowledge is not only a legacy of the past, but a living resource for building climate resilience today.

High Tea will be served from 6 pm onwards.

Presented by:

Venue: Auditorium
Speakers

R. Siddappa Setty
Senior Fellow, ATREE
Dr. R. Siddappa Setty is a Senior Fellow at ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment), Bengaluru. An ethnobotanist with over 27 years of experience, his research focuses on Indigenous knowledge, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest resource use and livelihoods in the Western Ghats. He has worked extensively with the Soliga community, bringing together scientific research and traditional ecological knowledge to support participatory resource management, forest restoration and sustainable livelihoods.

M. Ushashree
Environmental Researcher
M. Ushashree is an independent environmental researcher working at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, gender, conservation and environmental history. Her Master’s research at ATREE examined women’s roles in Indigenous farming practices among the Soliga community in Karnataka, focusing on their knowledge, contributions to agriculture and relationships with natural resources. Her current research explores the historical documentation and recognition of Indigenous and local knowledge, particularly the contributions of women and other under-documented knowledge holders.

Seema Purushothaman
Ecological Economist
Seema Purushothaman is an environmental and ecological economist with over three decades of work across small farms, production landscapes and forest peripheries. Trained at Kerala Agricultural University and University College London, she co-authored a pioneering 1991 global valuation of tropical forests with David Pearce. Her doctoral work on adivasi land use shaped her focus on indigenous rights and livelihoods. After 25 years in academia, including Azim Premji University and ATREE, she serves as President of INSEE (2024-26) and sits on the Global Alliance for Inter and Transdisciplinarity’s leadership board.