In 1998, I was a teenager who couldn’t stop dreaming about the hidden world beneath the waves of my hometown coast in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu. The seagrass meadows, sea horses, and the deep silence of the underwater world fascinated me so much that I built my own underwater camera, simply to show others what I saw. I wanted my friends and family to believe that our coastline was not just sand and water, but a living world of beauty and purpose.
My first underwater camera – 1998
In 2002, my curiosity turned into action. After completing my master’s degree, I set off on my old motorbike and began an expedition along the coast — meeting fishers, watching tides, and documenting stories from one village to another. Every kilometre deepened my understanding of how human life and marine life are intertwined. That same year, I received a letter from India’s former President, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — a message of encouragement that strengthened my belief that one person’s dream could ripple out into real change.
1100 km coastal bike expedition – 2002
In 2006, after registering for my PhD, I embarked on another journey — a 600-kilometre solo kayak expedition along India’s southeast coast to raise public awareness about fragile marine ecosystems. Alone on the sea for days, surrounded by vast stretches of water and seagrass, I felt both small and infinite. It was a journey beyond comfort zones, guided by a spiritual belief that nature reveals itself only to those who surrender their fear.
600 km sea kayak expedition for awareness on coastal habitats – 2006
These experiences eventually led me to establish the OMCAR Foundation in 2007 — a non-profit organisation dedicated to marine conservation and community development in the Palk Bay region. From its very beginning, the dugong — the gentle seagrass grazer — was chosen as OMCAR’s logo, symbolising peace, compassion, and the deep connection between humans and the sea. Over time, I became we, as a small team united by the same vision and love for the ocean.
In 2012, the IUCN CEC Young Professional Award brought a new wave of confidence and visibility to our efforts — the first international recognition of our grassroots conservation work. It connected OMCAR to an inspiring global family: the IUCN network, where we realised that local stories can carry global meaning.
A self-designed research boat – modified fishing vessel – 2014
Soon after, we built our own research boat and developed GIS and acoustic mapping skills to study seagrass meadows — the dugong’s vital feeding habitat. These efforts became a foundation for government recognition of Palk Bay’s ecological importance.
A few years later, together with scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India, conservationists, and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, OMCAR contributed to a milestone that once felt like a dream: the establishment of India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay in 2022. The same coast that once inspired a young boy with a homemade camera was now officially recognised for protecting one of the world’s most gentle and vulnerable marine mammals.
Since 2024, our journey has extended beyond national borders. Through the IUCN Panorama Solutions platform, we began collaborating with seagrass conservation groups in Thailand, sharing our community-based restoration approaches and learning from their experience.
In 2025, I visited Sri Lanka voluntarily to build bridges with local conservation organisations — EMACE Foundation, BEAR, and Blue Resources Trust — and to explore collaborative strategies to protect dugongs that migrate between our two countries. These experiences reaffirmed a belief I have always held: marine conservation knows no borders. It thrives on shared knowledge, trust, and collective responsibility.
From hunters to guardians — fishermen of Palk Bay rescue and release a dugong back to the sea
Proposing an IUCN Motion in 2025
When the idea of proposing an IUCN Motion first took shape, we hesitated. None of us are native speakers of IUCN’s three official languages, and the Motion process itself can be daunting. It requires a defined structure, the support of other IUCN members, and a rigorous review before it reaches the Assembly floor.
We felt the weight of possible rejection and the uncertainty of whether our voice would be strong enough. Yet, we also carried a deep confidence and a long-held reason to bring this Motion forward. We studied past Motions from previous Congresses to understand their tone and structure. With that guidance — and with the generous help of fellow IUCN members who refined and shaped our proposal — the Motion finally took form.
We had waited for this opportunity since OMCAR joined IUCN in 2012. Our Marine Conservation Leadership Fellows played a vital role in coordinating communications with IUCN members worldwide, canvassing and encouraging them to vote in support of the Motion.
IUCN Motions are more than formal proposals; they are bridges that connect fieldwork to global attention. Each Motion holds the power to influence policy, inspire collaboration, and spark new conservation actions across borders. It is a rare opportunity — one that comes only once every four years — to raise our collective voice for the ecosystems we love and protect.
Heartfelt thanks to all IUCN members for supporting our Motion!