Ritesh Sharma

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT RITESH SHARMA

Born in the Thar Desert, an Ecologist by heart and Natural Resource Economist by training and compassionate listener to communities, field practitioners and policy makers and enthusiast story-teller—this defines my journey as a development professional over the last 20 years.With a Master’s in Forest Economics and Management, I work at the intersection of ecology, economics, and governance—supporting national policymakers (MoEFCC), State forest departments, bilateral agencies (GIZ), finance institutions (NABARD), and communities across the Himalayas, Thar, and coastal regions.My core focus is to ensure nature’s capital is valued in all sorts of planning, and that those who conserve—be it governments, businesses, or communities—are fairly incentivised for their actions. Guided by my mentors, I put efforts to observe with empathy, co-create solutions with my partners, and question systems when they fail to deliver, leading to out of the box approach.For example, I championed the case of CAMPA funds should be leveraged for investment in springshed restoration, positioning Himalayan forests as green assets instead of development hurdles. While coordinating India’s national TEEB study, I contributed to recognising the economic value of ecosystems like vultures, wetlands, and the Western Ghats—insights that informed reforms in wetland, coastal, and forest policies.I now focus on making ecosystem restoration financially viable and real sustainability efforts for businesses, moving beyond philanthropy or regulation. Photography remains my creative anchor—documenting landscapes and stories of change other than birdwatching.