Field Support and Logistics

Our field team is an eclectic group of professionals who support the operations of ANET in multiple ways both at the field station and during field work. Its members include a number of deeply committed and highly trained individuals drawn from different parts of the Andaman and Nicobar islands and have been with us for many years.

Mrinal Kanti Bhowmick (Montu)
Housekeeping In Charge

Mrinal Kanti Bhowmick is ANET's first employee and has been with us since ANET's inception. As the Housekeeping in-Charge, he is the face behind your clean bedding, termite-free walls and shiny, stocked bathrooms. He is also experienced in snake handling and rescue, and has interests in birding. Montu da, as he is fondly known, lives in Wandoor, South Andaman and speaks Hindi and Bengali. He is a man of few words, but is known to silently orchestrate elaborate pranks. He also has a keen eye for detail and few secrets escape him. Catch him at volleyball to see his killer serves. Montu da, at other times, is a benevolent uncle to the base; treating everyone to sweets and fruit from his home.

Naveen Ekka
Operations Manager

Naveen Ekka is one of our longest serving employees and currently serves as the Operations and Purchases Manager at ANET. He is a certified diver with field experience in marine research, birding, snake handling and turtle surveys. Having served various roles at the base as well as at field sites, he is full of stories. Naveen is from Badakhadi village in Rutland, South Andaman and speaks Hindi and Sadri. He might seem absent-minded, confused or forgetful on an average day, but he has an unmatched sharpness in the field, both in the forest and the sea. Naveen is unassuming and modest, but a master of subaltern skills – he can climb most trees, handle venomous snakes, brew rice beer and also spin a fire poi. His quick wit and unrestrained laughter can make you feel welcome immediately.

Jeevan Horo
Field Assistant & Boat Operator

Jeevan Horo is a Boat Operator and Field Assistant. He has experience in boat surveys and sample processing techniques having experience with plankton monitoring. He also has interests and expertise in birding, diving and forest surveys. Jeevan is from Badakhadi village in Rutland, South Andaman and speaks Hindi and Sadri. He enjoys being outdoors and even on an off-day, you will find Jeevan fishing or birding, and when he can, snorkelling. He is always enthusiastic to help new projects and determined to learn new skills. Jeevan lives life to its full; you can watch him play volleyball with grace and set the dance floor on fire after hours.

Sebian Horo
Field Assistant

Sebian first served as a field assistant at the turtle camp in Little Andaman. He is experienced in forestry censusing techniques and takes a keen interest in botany and natural history, and also birding and diving. More recently, Sebian has served a field assistant for the Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Network (LEMoN) plots established by NCBS in the Andaman Islands. Sebi is from Badakhadi village in Rutland and speaks Hindi and Sadri. On field, he is dependable and excited and is always good-humoured. He has a keen eye for photographs and a good ear for music as you will find out from his playlists. On a good day, you will find him playing with Crusoe, our dog at the base.

Johnson Kongari
Chef & Field Assistant

Johnson Kongari is a Chef and Field Assistant at ANET. He has field experience in birding and forestry, having worked regularly on forestry plots in the Andamans. Johnson is from Badakhadi village in Rutland, South Andaman and speaks Hindi and Sadri. He might seem quiet and shy but is highly skilled in work and play – watch him chop onions at lightning speed while looking away, before dinner, and demolishing veterans at table tennis after. He has a keen eye and a sharp ear in the forest, sighting and identifying species by quick flights and calls. Although not a regular birder, you are guaranteed unusual sightings when out with him.

Vishal Kujur (Ledu)
Field Assistant

Ledu has been serving as the project in-charge for the Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Network (LEMoN) plots established by NCBS in the Andaman Islands. He is experienced in all major forestry censusing techniques and also has short-term experience in turtle surveys, diving, birding and mangrove census protocols. Ledu is from Badakhadi village in Rutland, speaks Hindi and Sadri and has a fair command over English. Ledu seeks thrill and enjoys playing volleyball, racing his motorbike, watching action movies and cooking extremely spicy food. His unique sense of humour, bizarre riddles and constant stream of catchphrases will confuse you at first, but will eventually grow on you.

Niraj Kumar Minj
Administrative Assistant

Niraj Kumar Minj is the Administrative Assistant and the main person to contact for your bills and internet troubles. Besides his desk job, he is interested in surveys, birding and diving. Niraj is from Manpur in South Andaman and speaks Hindi and English. He has his finger on the pulse of local news and can help you with your questions about logistics in the islands. He has a deep friendship with Ledu based on body building and motorbikes. But he also has the occasional whimsical side; he makes wishes on shooting stars hoping to find ambergris in North Wandoor beach.

Babu Kutty
Boat Captain, Khlee

Babu Kutty is the Boat Captain of the research vessel Khlee and Maintenance in-charge. He is a certified diver and with his knowledge and experience navigating the seascape around Wandoor, he has been integral to several marine research projects in the past. He also has short term experience in turtle surveys. Babu is from Betapur in Middle Andaman and speaks Hindi and Karen. He is the embodiment of an episode of Man vs. Wild; at odds with nature, on an eternal conquest and willing to eat the most unusual things raw. His daredevilry extends beyond food into medicine and most of his antidotes surpass “alternative”. He might frustrate you with his arguments, but he also has a softer side; he loves playing with children.

Manisha Singh
Kitchen & Housekeeping Assistant

Manisha Singh has responsibilities in the kitchen and in housekeeping. She magically cleans dirty vessels, dusty rooms and also manages the laundry. Outside of base duties, she is interested in birding and forestry field work. Manisha is from Sunny Kattai in Diglipur, North Andaman and speaks Hindi, English and Sadri. Sunny also describes her general disposition. Although the only female staff member, she fearlessly calls out disorderliness and keeps everyone at the base accountable. Manisha is a quick and eager learner, and an incredibly hard worker. She would watch English films with you, but you do not want to fight her for TV time during an important serial.

Sanjay Tirkey
Head Chef & Field Assistant

Sanjay Tirkey is the Head Chef at ANET, responsible for maintaining the kitchen and providing regular, ravely-reviewed meals to researchers and education programmes. He is also a certified diver with research experience serving as a field assistant in coral and seagrass ecosystem research. Sanjay is from Badakhadi village in Rutland and speaks Hindi, English and Sadri. He runs the kitchen on a tight rein and will tolerate no nonsense in his kingdom. Out of his apron, Sanjay has a larger-than-life personality, entertaining rapt audiences with his storytelling, hoola-hooping, juggling and free-form dancing. He worships Amir Khan and will tell you an incredible story if you mention his hero.

Anand James Tirkey (James)
Base Coordinator & Field Assistant

James is the Base Coordinator at ANET. James has extensive research experience in forestry research, including censusing and data entry, herpetology research, birding and mangrove censusing. James is from Badakhadi village in Rutland, South Andaman and speaks Hindi, English and Sadri. He is analytical and rigorous, and in an alternate universe, an award-winning researcher. His scientific temperament and experience makes his advice invaluable to planning new projects. He hides from the limelight and can be exceedingly polite, but volleyball and table tennis can bring out his competitive side. You will know you have been accepted when he makes the occasional snide remark to pull your leg. He is also a keen naturalist; take a walk around the base with James and you are guaranteed to learn more than from any book.

Saw Thesorow
Boat Captain, Thisopa & Field Assistant

Thesorow is the Boat Captain for the research vessel Thisopa and Maintenance Assistant. He is a regular and experienced staff member for annual sea turtle surveys and has excellent working knowledge of the seascape around Wandoor. At base maintenance, he is especially skilled in woodworking and weaving bamboo. Each year, he spends several months at West Bay, a remote turtle camp in Little Andaman assisting with data collection on leatherbacks. Thesorow is from Mayabundar in North Andaman and speaks Hindi, English and Karen. He is a patient teacher and a perfectionist, who will make sure that you learn how to make mats, how to cut with a dao or how to tie knots, even if it takes too many attempts. But he is a stickler for time and would not think twice about leaving you on field if you are late. If you cross him, you can make amends; he has a sweet tooth.

Saw Watha (Agu)
Field Assistant, Carpenter & Maintenance Manager

Agu has been with ANET for more than 20 years and is a veteran of marine turtle surveys and monitoring across the Andaman and Nicobar islands. For several years, he singlehandedly managed the data collection and research activities of ANET’s sea turtle camp at Galathea in Great Nicobar. Agu's own story of surviving the 2004 tsunami is one of great courage and determination and can be read here and here. He currently serves as the Carpenter and Maintenance in-charge at ANET. As one of our longest serving employees, Agu has contributed to the planning and construction of most of the current buildings in the campus including afforestation of the property. He has experience in island surveys of turtles and crocodiles and has served as boat captain in the past. Agu, is from Karmatang village in Mayabundar, North Andaman and speaks Hindi, English and Karen. He spends a lot of his free time fishing and he cooks seafood with a characteristic no-frills, functional approach. He makes slow, yet lasting friendships that will make you privy to his treasure chest of adventure stories, fantasy folk tales and repetitive humour. And maybe you’ll even learn to spot a joke before he breaks into his wicked smile.