Soumya Ranjan Biswal

About Soumya Ranjan Biswal

Soumya Ranjan Biswal, a Young coastal conservationist from Odisha, India, has dedicated 13+ years since 2012 to mangrove ecosystem & marine turtle conservation, and community-based climate action. He founded the Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan (OPSA) in 2014 to protect Odisha’s fragile ecosystems, focusing on Devi River Mouth, Chilika Ramsar Site, and tsunami-prone regions of Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, and Ganjam Including his own Puri District. His efforts, own leadership and support have led to the plantation of mangrove saplings through community-driven initiatives involving fisherfolk, women, youth, journalists, and children. He has educated coastal community members, fostering environmental stewardship through citizen science, public outreach, cultural programs, and educational drives. Soumya is a UN India Yuwaah Advocate (20••••24) and has received global recognition, including the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on climate change by the US State Department. His advocacy for Olive Ridley Sea Turtle conservation and the revival of Devi River Mouth’s mass nesting site has made him a prominent voice for climate resilience and oceanic health along India’s east coast. With a passion for nature-based solutions and community-led conservation, Soumya continues to drive sustainable change through advocacy, restoration projects, and grassroots mobilization. His journey exemplifies how local leadership can spark global environmental impact.

Experience

1. Youth Advocate India

   United Nations

   Aug 2022 — Present · Odisha, IN

   I Soumya Ranjan Biswal, belonging from a remote coastal village of odisha namely Gundalaba of Puri District in Odisha. My village is about 500mtr from the shore just next to a small wide of casurina Forest.When I was in primary education in 2006, a retired dentist namely Robert Succlif from Canada was used to come in our area and were taking our school students to beach for beach cleanup drive. It was a continuous event by him everyyear. When I grown up to my high school, the gradual increase of natural calamities, particularly tsunami & cyclone frequency has caused to evacuate & warn me and my villages 2 or 3 times everyyear. The inspiring atmosphere of the two devoted Grassroot Conservationist Bichi Bhaiya and Charu Maa, inspired me much to think about its protection for our future.To show our local climatic issues, turtle mortalities, Mangrove destructions, I was sharing in social media. I met he You tubers cum Ecology educator Abhyuday Rajib Kelkar in facebook and he have started guiding me through the geographical existence of our area, Devi River Mouth area and it\'s importance and he told we need to take responsibility with and youth have that much power who can bring changes to this issue. As per constant motivation of Abhyudaya Rajiv Kelkar ji with his presentation about Padmashree Jadav Payeng ji, Forest Man of India, i got inspired and started the movement. When I got to know it\'s all happening for the global warming and climate change, I just went through the Deeper to know about its reason and solutions. I just got sure that Coastal Biodiversity has been disturbing, so Biodiversity conservation is one key to tackle the climate change.We focus on conservational issues of regional importance, for example, Olive Ridley sea-turtles and Mangroves in our state, Odisha.

Education

• Trident Academy of Technology (TAT), Bhubaneswar

  Mechanical Engineering