Abhik Palit Email & Phone Number

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

As Project Manager at the Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency, I led the agency's strategic partnerships, communications, and outreach efforts to raise awarness of government programmes and enhance grant uptake across three councils. Establishing collaborations with statutory bodies, councils teams, community groups and local and national NGOs, I drove impactful initiatives, training programs, and awareness events with an emphasis on diversity and environmental sustainability.Author of the agency's Communications and Engagement Strategy.Researched on and wrote the agency's Environmental Strategy.Author of the agency's Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy.Nominated for 'Newcomer of the Year' at South Cambridgeshire District Council Awards 2023.

Worked as a Development Consultant to the Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand as part of the Government of India's flagship Aspirational Districts Programme. Conceptualised, implemented and monitored initiatives across five thematic areas, namely Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture and Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development, and Basic Infrastructure, to enable the holistic and sustainable development of India's least developed districts.

As the Senior Project Officer at WWF-India, I worked on initiatives to bridge conservation efforts with community welfare in the Western Arunachal Landscape through the innovative Community Conserved Area model. Working with closely with local communities, I helped establish partnerships with government departments, other NGOs and private sector organisations such as sustainable tourism organisations and retail buyers to advance mutual goals. I led a comprehensive livelihood assessment study based on the DFID's Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, training and deploying 4 Master's in Social Work students from Tezpur University. Oversaw the completion of 2 solar fencing projects in Tawang District to mitigate Human-Wildlife conflict and protect the farms of over 200 families. I also played a pivotal role in enhancing Community Based Tourism, promoting sustainable experiences in collaboration with responsible tourism organisations to benefit both nature and local economies.

Western Arunachal Landscape, Wwf-India

As a Project Officer in the Central Indian Landscape, I led initiatives for sustainable development and conservation in the Balaghat Tx2 site, a site deemed critical for tiger conservation in the landscape. I conceptualised and launched the implementation of a three-year community engagement plan, fostering partnerships with NGOs, government departments, and local communities. I implemented innovative programs in collaboration with these partners, facilitating sustainable agriculture, financial inclusion and a reduction in human-wildlife conflict. Notably, I negotiated 150% higher price for tribal honey collector groups in Chhattisgarh for sustainably harvested forest honey and constructed four stop dams through community participation in Balaghat, for which I was recognised by the forest department for contributions to participatory natural resource managment. Additionally, I participated in environmental education initiatives and represented the organisation at various fora such as conferences and workshops. My role also involved content creation and communication across platforms.

New Delhi, India

Underwent a two month induction programme aimed at providing a holistic view of the entire organisation. Met the team and leadership of each of WWF-India’s sixteen divisions and with the senior management of the organisation itself to understand each division’s role in the organisation and the larger organisational strategy. Undertook site visits to three landscapes to learn about the organisation’s work on the ground and interact with field staff. Conducted a three month study of the Brahmagiri Nilambur Wildlife Corridor between Kerala and Karnataka to assess the status of the corridor in terms of usage and usability. Undertook camera trapping, site visits, sign surveys, literature review and interviews with local communities and forest department officials to understand present and historic elephant movement in the corridor and the impediments to its usage. Identified bottlenecks, conflict hotspots and infrastructural hurdles. Mapped results and wrote report. Presented the report with results and recommendations before the senior management at WWF-India and the Kerala State Forest Department.

Udaipur, Rajasthan

New Delhi

Master Of Philosophy - Mphil, Conservation Leadership

Recipient: Robert Sansom Scholarship for Conservation Leadership Recipient: Lucy Cavendish Studentship for Conservation Leadership United.

Master'S Degree, Development Studies

Activities and Societies: Member - TISS Editorial Board Member - Editorial Committee, Policy Research Group. Member - Football Team

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), English Literature (British And Commonwealth)

Activities and Societies: President - Enactus Hindu. 2013-14 Captain - Hindu College Football Team. 2013-14 Vice-President - Enactus.

Science With Economics

Activities and Societies: House Captain - Aspiration House. Member - School Football Team