Watch the 2023 Talks

Day 1: August 18

Kicking Off NilgiriScapes 2023

The first ever NilgiriScapes conference begins: introducing the theme of the year, organisers and the platform.

A Peek at the Exhibition Space

A teaser of the rich exhibition space created by the People and Nature Collectives programme at Keystone Foundation.

30 Years of Keystone Foundation

Looking back fondly at 30 years of working towards eco-development in the Nilgiris, and the reality of climate change in mountain ecosystems.

Tarun Chhabra: Sacred Geography of the Todas

A riveting talk at the intersection of mythology and geography, on the Toda landscape.

Sanjay Cherian: Sustainability & Policy

Speaking on behalf of tea plantation industry, he recalls a recent history of tea in the Nilgiris.

Nurit Bird David: Beyond the Image of Modernity

Drawing from her research with the Kattunayaka from the 1970s, she questions notions of what really is 'primitive', 'developed' or 'modern'.

Day 2: August 19

Aivinor Ams: Reimagining Walking as a Way of Life

As vehicles and roads undermine the significance of walking, has transport changed how we experience life in the Nilgiris?

Sharada Srinivasan: Interweavings of Archeological & Cultural Landscapes

An insightful analysis of archaeological artefacts that paint the ancient and modern history of the Nilgiris.

Robin Vijayan: Shola Sky Islands Birds & Their Habitats

Conclusions from ongoing research on shola-dwelling birds, their evolution and their ever-changing habitats.

Panel Discussion: Whose Biosphere Is It Anyway?

A discussion between members of the Citizens of the Nilgiris, an informal group that ponders the present and future of the hills. This discussion asks the question: who does the Nilgiris 'belong' to?

Panel Discussion: Economic Drivers in the Nilgiris

What fuels the local economy of the Nilgiris? How can economy and ecology flourish side by side?

Thiru Palanivel Thiaga Rajan: Perspectives on Policy & Sustainable Development

Perspectives on policy failure and what development could look like in the Nilgiris.

Gail Coelho & Kirbuuji

Kirbuuji of the Bettakurumba community, narrates a folktale in her native language (with a live translation by Gail Coelho) about a king and queen who were childless until they were granted a son as a boon from God.