NATIONAL NODE - INDIA

Photo credit: Rahul Chakraborty/Unsplash

Table of Contents

Call for Interns (Remote) - ECOP India

📢 ECOP India is offering remote internship positions for early career ocean professionals passionate about building India’s ocean science community. As part of the global ECOP Programme supporting the UN Decade of Ocean Science, our interns play a hands-on role in strengthening India’s ECOP network, amplifying opportunities, and shaping the next generation of ocean leaders — while gaining real experience in science communication, outreach, and network coordination.
 

We are looking for people who can contribute in one or more of the following areas:

  • Creating and editing engaging video and social media content
  • Curating opportunities for ECOPs in India — funding, positions, events, and more
  • Exploring collaborations with ocean science institutions and networks across India
  • Coordinating and supporting node activities

This is a voluntary, remote role open to students, researchers, and early career professionals at any stage in their ocean journey.

➡️ To apply, send your CV to india@ecopdecade.org

 
 

Introducing ECOP India

The ECOP Programme first found its footing in India back in 2021, when early career ocean researchers began engaging with the global network through UNESCO-led talks at international conferences. Energised by that exposure, a small group of researchers from institutes across India came together and made a short video for World Ocean Day — each sharing how their work ties into the seven Outcomes of the UN Ocean Decade. That video was really where it all began.

Over the next few years, this core group — most of them still finishing their PhDs — kept the momentum going by organising national events and growing the community from the ground up. By November 2024, all that grassroots energy had grown into something official: the ECOP India node was formally established, with the same people who started it all stepping in as its founding coordinators.

Meet the ECOP India Coordination Unit

Sunanda is a PhD scholar from IIT Kharagpur and an active ECOP since 2021. Her research interests lie in ocean biogeochemistry and climate change. She envisions a clean, sustainable and a predicted ocean and believes that with the combined effort of everyone, we could achieve this goal globally, helping the future generations beyond 2030.
Sunanda Narayanan
National Coordinator (Co-lead)
Trishneeta Bhattacharya studies the biogeochemical dynamics of the Indian Ocean and air-sea exchange of gases using a suite of ocean and coupled climate models from global to regional. Since 2021, she has been a part of the ECOP programme in India, coordinating activities and synergizing different groups in India working towards a common goal of ocean sustainability.
Trishneeta Bhattacharya
National Coordinator (Co-lead)

Core members

Rony Peter is a PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. His research focuses on the increasing trend of CO2 in the atmosphere and its impact on the marine ecosystem, especially in the north Indian Ocean, using satellite measurements and empirical and coupled models. His research contributes to the sustainable goal of the UN Decade of Ocean Science, ‘a predicted Ocean’ by giving insights into the current status of carbon dynamics of the north Indian Ocean with a focus on upwelling and dynamically active regions.
Rony Peter
Midhila Varna is currently enrolled as a Research Fellow at INCOIS, Hyderabad. She has completed her master's in Physical Oceanography from CUSAT, Kochi. As a budding illustrator, Midhila is passionate about spreading science through simple, visual stories that everyone can enjoy and understand.
Midhila Varna
Munzil studies the biogeochemistry of the ocean focussing primarily on the nutrient cycles in the North Indian Ocean. Through the ECOP programme he intends to foster enduring collaborative initiatives for ocean resilience and sustainability.
Mohammed Munzil PC
Falak is a coral reef ecology researcher at the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, with a deep passion for studying the intricate dynamics of coral ecosystems. Her research centers on the immune responses of corals to competitive interactions—how corals defend themselves and adapt when faced with challenges from other species. This area of study is critical for understanding how coral reefs, vital to marine biodiversity, cope with environmental stressors and competition in a rapidly changing world.
Item #3
Through her work, Falak aims to provide insights into coral health and resilience, which are key to preserving these ecosystems in the face of threats like climate change and ocean acidification. By uncovering the mechanisms that govern coral interactions, she hopes to contribute to more effective strategies for coral restoration and long-term reef protection, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience the wonder of healthy, thriving reefs.
Click Here
Falak Shaheen
Anagha Payyambally is a PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut (USA), researching greenhouse gas production and emissions from coastal upwelling regions. For her graduate studies, she has been honored with the prestigious Quad Fellowship, awarded by the governments of India, Japan, Australia, and the USA. Additionally, she is an active member of the ECOP Ocean Literacy Asia team and the ECOP USA team.
Anagha Payyambally
Dr. Femi Anna Thomas is an Assistant Professor at the Postgraduate and Research Department of Zoology, Union Christian College, Aluva, Kerala. She holds a Ph.D. in Microbial Ecology of High Arctic ecosystems from Goa University-NCPOR and an MSc in Marine Biology from Cochin University of Science and Technology with a University First Rank. With research experience as a Project Scientist II at the National Institute of Ocean Technology and as a Research Fellow at NCPOR, Dr. Thomas has contributed to several high-impact publications in international journals.
Recognized with the Young Polar Scientist Award (2023) and as an Emerging Leader at the Arctic Frontiers conference (2020), she specializes in bacterial genome analysis, Arctic microbial diversity, and marine ecosystems. Dr. Thomas has also participated in multiple Indian Arctic Expeditions and is a member of prestigious scientific organizations like ASM, AGU, and APECS.
Dr. Femi Anna Thomas
Muneer A. serves as the president of the Association of Fisheries Graduates (AFG). He is a Senior Research Fellow at Cochin University of Science and Technology, pursuing PhD in Aquatic Animal Health specializing in fish virology. He has over six years of expertise in research, laboratory instrumentation, and extension services. Muneer is committed to driving innovation and sustainability in aquaculture and actively engages in organizational activities for the advancement of the field.
Muneer A.
Avantai Acharya has a Ph.D. in Marine Science with a specialization in Marine Biogeochemistry. She has six years of experience in greenhouse gas studies and associated environmental data analysis and interpretation in a mangrove environment. She is a passionate field researcher, with published in peer-reviewed journals. Currently, she is working as a Carbon Sequestration Scientist at Liquid Trees, involved in microalgae-based carbon sequestration projects in the river and limnic systems.
Dr. Avanti Acharya

Advisory Committee

Dr. Sudheesh V is a Marine Biogeochemist and Technical Officer at the Central University of Kerala, specializing in ocean biogeochemistry with a focus on the northern Indian Ocean. His research explores oxygen minimum zone dynamics, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and the impacts of deoxygenation on marine ecosystems. Dr. Sudheesh has participated in over 20 oceanographic cruises and has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights into the ocean processes and their role in climate regulation and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Sudheesh
Dr. Abul Qasim is a postdoctoral fellow at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad. His expertise lies in marine and terrestrial isotope biogeochemistry. He earned his doctoral degree from IISER Bhopal, where he used various trace metals and radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr isotopes to investigate the estuarine biogeochemistry/pollution and groundwater along the eastern coast of the Gulf of Cambay. He has also contributed to several research on aeolian and lacustrine biogeochemical processes.
At PRL, he works in marine biogeochemistry, mainly investigating the biogeochemical processes influencing C:N:P stoichiometry in seawater and corals in the tropical Indian Ocean. He is dedicated to contributing to the sustainable goal of the UN Decade of Ocean Science, particularly understanding the biogeochemical stressors to support the sustainable development of a productive ocean amid changing climate conditions.
Dr. Abul Qasim
Dr. Samiran Mandal, Assistant Professor at IIT Delhi’s Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, specializes in physical oceanography. His research focuses on tidal hydrodynamics, boundary current dynamics, and eddy dynamics at mesoscale and sub-mesoscales using HF Radars and ocean circulation models. He also studies the surface and subsurface marine heatwaves, exploring their links to boundary currents, tropical cyclones, and marine productivity.
Dr. Samiran Mandal
Shweta Naik
Dr. Anwesha Ghosh is a Research Scientist at the Centre for Climate and Environmental Studies, IISER Kolkata. She is a marine biogeochemist with a focus on plankton biology. She is a POGO-SCOR Fellow and works closely with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK to understand coastal ecosystem changes using Time-Series analyses. She is actively involved in several Ocean Decade Actions including CoastPredict and OARS. She currently leads the Asia Node of the SOLAS mCDR program and is an ECR member of several International collaborations.
Dr. Anwesha Ghosh

Interns

She grew up watching NatGeo and Discovery, which fostered a deep interest in the vast ocean and its blue world. She completed her Master's in Biotechnology from Mumbai University and, driven by her interest in the marine field, undertook her dissertation in marine microbiology at CSIR NIO, Goa. This experience further deepened her curiosity about the oceanic world, and she is currently exploring opportunities to apply her research background toward ocean sustainability.  
Twinkle Shinde

Vision and Mission

ECOP India works to spread awareness about the UN Ocean Decade and its sustainability goals, while encouraging collaboration across disciplines. It brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, coastal communities, and the public to understand their perspectives and help shape policies that better serve the Indian Ocean region.

Past Activities & Events

  • Video interviews available on the UNESCO YouTube channel (June, 2021) – see below.

Endorsed projects and activities

C-TIDe India: Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Professionals

The Ocean Decade activity C-TIDe (Cultivating Tomorrow’s Innovators Decade) India, led by Dr. Pooja Tiwari and assisted by ECOP India interns, contributes to building an inclusive and engaging platform for early career ocean professionals across the country. A key initiative under this program is Chai & Curiosity, a YouTube-based podcast series that features Indian early career researchers sharing their academic journeys, along with insights into scholarships, funding opportunities, and career pathways at both national and international levels. 

Check out the channel here

Chai & Curiosity

Episode 1: What’s it really like to do climate research with AI in Germany after training in India?

The platform also actively engages with audiences by inviting questions related to academic growth, mental well-being, career development, and opportunities in ocean sustainability. These questions are addressed in episodes through discussions with experienced researchers and senior scientists. In addition, the initiative develops accessible animation content to promote ocean science awareness. Interested individuals can submit their questions at india@ecopdecade.org, and are encouraged to stay connected for upcoming content and opportunities.

How to get involved

If you have any questions, inquiries or if you would be willing to help and contribute to our national ECOP node for India, contact us at: india@ecopdecade.org.

List of communication channels or groups for ECOPs in India

 
 
take part

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Subscribe

Share Your Opportunities with Us!

Fill out the form and share the exciting opportunities with ECOPs.

Please note that we will not publish or disclose your personal details on our website. We will use these in case we would need to contact you regarding this opportunity you are submitting.

Details

Thanks for sharing this information with us! You have made a great contribution to support ECOPs from across the world in their studies, career and networking!

Share Your Opportunities with Us!

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Share Your Opportunities with Us!

Fill out the form and share the exciting opportunities with ECOPs.

Contact Details

Please note that we will not publish or disclose your personal details on our website. We will use these in case we would need to contact you regarding this opportunity you are submitting.

Opportunity

Share Your Opportunities with Us!

Fill out the form and share the exciting opportunities with ECOPs:

Contact Details

Please note that we will not publish or disclose your personal details on our website. We will use these in case we would need to contact you regarding this opportunity you are submitting.

Opportunity

Optional

Share Your Opportunities with Us!

Fill out the form and share the exciting opportunities with ECOPs:

Contact Details

Please note that we will not publish or disclose your personal details on our website. We will use these in case we would need to contact you regarding this opportunity you are submitting.

Opportunity

Optional