Inesh became a part of projects to grow corals in farms and place them in marine environments- also called coral farming.
Inesh
Inesh’s hobbies are wildlife photography and deep sea diving. Not your average 17 year old kid!
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A product of Mauritius's Northfields International School where he currently studies and Hong Kong International School in Hong Kong and Dhuirubhai Ambani school, Mumbai where he has studied before. An avid reader (his favourite books include The Elephant Whisperer, Travels in Alaska, The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, The Rise & Fall of the Emerald Tigers, The Vanishing Stripes) Inesh was curious about the impact of ‘coral bleaching’ on the marine environment and decided to explore the topic in depth under a mentor, Professor Jon Isham of Middlebury College.
What is coral bleaching? When waters become too warm, corals expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues, a process known as coral bleaching. The most common causes for this include rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, and overfishing.
“Without these algae, corals lose their color and the vital nutrients they provide, leaving them vulnerable to disease, starvation, and death. Additionally, pollution from chemicals, plastics, and agricultural runoff can poison coral ecosystems, while overfishing disrupts the balance of marine life that corals depend on. Combined, these threats lead to coral degradation and loss,” explains Inesh.
Inesh became a part of projects to grow corals in farms and place them in marine environments- also called coral farming. Corals are vital to the marine ecosystem; they provide a wider gene pool, which helps species adapt to environmental changes. He is also part of a research project titled, “Coral Farming in Two Lagoons of Mauritius: Implications for Restoration in Degraded Reef Areas” led by Prof. Nazurally of the university of Mauritius.
Prof Nazurally adds, "Inesh is the only very young school level student in the team that is working with me on coral restoration. Our project involves welding grids together, placing them carefully underwater, and finally, using the coral fragments collected from the oil spill site to see new corals and then restoring them back in degraded areas
Mumbai-based wildlife conservationist Anish Andheria remarks, "Inesh is deeply committed to wildlife conservation. Last year, he authored a book on tiger conservation after making multiple trips to Kanha Tiger Reserve over three years. In the book, he sheds light on the lives of forest guards, discussing the need to improve the facilities in the field to enhance their quality of life. He shares inspiring stories of dedicated forest employees like Dev Singh, Kartikeya, Mahesh, Markham, Dharam, and Mukhbir. Despite living without the comforts of modern life, Inesh honors these individuals as the true heroes of tiger conservation. Achieving such work at a young age is truly commendable."
Inesh is co-authoring a research paper on the above with Professor Nazurally and three other researchers, based on the data collected from the project and how different factors can affect coral farming, making coral restoration around the world more effective.
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