Profile
Assistant Professor
Dr Sathya Sangeetha
sathya.sangeetha@tdu.edu.in
Ecologist, investigating species ecology of NTFPs and sustainable root harvesting. She uses Geospatial technology to leverage species distribution and databases. She contributes to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research for conservation of medicinal plants and for managing primary health care in rural areas.
Dr. Sathya Sangeetha is a botanist specialized in Taxonomy and by disciplinary training an Ecologist. She is working as Assistant Professor in TDU. From 2003 onwards her research contributed to Conservation action, she worked on species distribution using GIS to map RET and traded botanicals consolidating into a Digital ATLAS of Geographical Distribution of medicinal plants (1900 spp.) with detailed eco-geographic maps (350 spp.). Her doctoral studies focused on assessing the population density, structure, associated species and root harvesting methods for sustaining the endemic, endangered Decalepis hamiltonii (Makali beru), illegally harvested for aromatic roots. Scientific evidences from her study confirm root harvesting is unsustainable, leading to reproductive bottlenecks and thus calls for protection of the remaining population in Savandurga RF. She has worked under several funding agencies under various capacities. As a Co-investigator she coordinated multiple teams for a transdisciplinary project for developing a geospatial database & web portal for the rural communities of HD Kote taluka to manage primary health. She also disseminates knowledge to diverse stakeholders for supporting nature and medicinal plant conservation.
