Dr. Prabhat Kumar is an officer of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) with over 12 years of experience in forest management, wildlife conservation, and biodiversity protection. He holds a B.Sc. in Botany from the University of Delhi, an M.Sc. in Environmental Management and a Ph.D. in Forestry from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Wildlife Management from the Wildlife Institute of India. Throughout his career, Dr. Kumar has served in key leadership roles, including Territorial Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in various districts and Director of Nagaland Zoological Park. Currently, Dr. Kumar serves as the State Silviculturist and CEO of the Resource Organization on Jhum and Biodiversity (ROJB) under the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP), where he focuses on forest restoration, sustainable forestry practices, and improving ecological resilience in Jhum-affected areas. An avid nature enthusiast, Dr. Kumar is passionate about birding, wildlife photography, and trekking, which complement his professional commitment to forest conservation and ecological sustainability.
Prof. Sapu Changkija has made significant contribution in the field of Biodiversity, Jhum cultivation, Ethnobotany and plant systematic. He has authored five (5) significant books to his credit. He is also an advisory board member/Expert of the state biodiversity, Medicinal plants, and advisory board member of Wild life of Nagaland. He was also Research Advisory Committee of North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFI) Research and Development Centre, Khetri, Assam.
He has specialization in Ethnobotany, Remote sensing, Biodiversity, Mountain farming system and Sloping Land Technology (SALT), Environment and Ecology, Orchids of Northeast and Plant breeding. He has expertise on Electron Microscopy (Transmission and Scanning) and maintenance of sophisticated instrumentation. He is Young Scientist Internship Awardees (1997), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Kathmandu, Nepal.
Dr. Aosanen Ao holds a Ph.D. in Forestry from Mizoram University, specializing in plant species diversity, forest ecology, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. He has extensive research experience on the forest ecosystems of Northeast India, including long-term ecological monitoring, carbon stock assessment, and sustainable land-use practices in Jhum landscapes. He has worked in various research capacities under national projects with the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, as well as the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad. He has presented papers at various international conferences and published research articles in reputed journals on topics such as forest diversity, regeneration potential, carbon storage, and ecosystem sustainability. Currently, Dr. Ao serves as Livelihood Expert at the Resource Organization on Jhum and Biodiversity (ROJB) under the Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP), where he focuses on promoting sustainable land-use practices, biodiversity conservation, and community-based livelihood enhancement for indigenous communities. In addition to his research, Dr. Ao is also passionate about wildlife photography, nature exploration, and documenting traditional ecological knowledge, reflecting his commitment to forestry and conservation.
Dr. Imnuksungla Pongen serves as the Community Mobilization Expert at Resource Organization on Jhum and Biodiversity (ROJB). She is an experienced professional with expertise in community mobilization, livelihoods, and education sector. She has a well-rounded background in research, teaching, and project management which complements her field-level engagement. With experience in academia, externally aided projects, and grassroots initiatives, she has proactively led stakeholder consultations, facilitated community participation and built partnerships with government, NGOs, and local institutions. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Delhi, alongside M.Phil. and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Jamia Millia Islamia. With clear interests in participatory research, cultural documentation, community engagement, and awareness programs, she remains committed to advancing community empowerment and strengthening grassroots institutions.
Imtimongla, MSc (Forestry), is a Jhum Ecology expert with over a decade of experience in forestry, agroforestry, soil and water conservation, and community-based resource management. She currently works as a Jhum Ecologist under ROJB, and previously served as the National Consultant (Agroforestry and Soil & Water Conservation) with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in India, where she provided technical guidance on sustainable land management, agroforestry systems, and conservation planning. Her career spans roles as Junior Soil Conservation Officer, Junior Lecturer, Block Technology Manager, and Senior Research Fellow, giving her extensive expertise in participatory land-use planning, capacity building, nursery and plantation management, and climate-resilient farming practices. She has worked closely with government departments, UN agencies, and farming communities to integrate traditional knowledge with modern conservation techniques. A certified Permaculture Design practitioner, Imtimongla is passionate about regenerative agriculture, natural farming systems, community-based sustainability projects, Organic Gardening & Heirloom Seed Saving and designing food-secure systems through permaculture principles and agroecology practices.
Dr. Sentibenla Pongener serves as the Extension cum Documentation Expert at ROJB, where she plays a key role in bridging the gap between scientific research, biodiversity conservation and grassroots farming practices. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension Education from the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus. Her expertise lies in agricultural extension, documentation and knowledge dissemination, with a strong focus on supporting traditional practices such as jhum cultivation while promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods. Guided by sincerity and dedication, she Pongener works closely with farming communities to ensure that knowledge whether from traditional practices or modern research, truly reaches the people who need it most. She has previously served as Young Professional-II at ICAR–National Research Centre on Mithun (NRCM) and as Assistant Technology Manager under the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). Outside her professional work, she enjoys traveling, hiking, photography, exploring diverse cultures and food systems and sports.
Denito H Aye is serving as an Office Manager at ROJB Nagaland. He is a straight forward individual who prefers hard work as well as willingness to learn and adapt to new challenges. He completed his Post Graduate in Masters of Social Work from St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) Bengaluru. He has worked as a Call Operator in Women and Child Development (WCD) Control Room, Kohima for a period of one year where he was able to apply social work skills such as critical thinking, communication skills, interpersonal skills, active listening and problem solving. With immense experiences gained from professional course of social work, he is very well versed in field work reports, researches, group setting management as well as a profound knowledge in computer application. His work ethics includes continuous improvement, efficient work management and productivity for a healthy work environment.
Prakash Rai is currently serving as an Accounts Assistant at ROJB, Nagaland. He is a finance professional with over 15 years of experience in Accounting, Book Keeping, Auditing (Internal & Statutory), and Taxation. A Master of Commerce, he is specialized in delivering accurate financial management, compliance, and advisory solutions. Passionate about Finance and Accounting, he is committed to professionalism, integrity, and continuous learning to support the organization growth.