Sonali Ghosh

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sonali Ghosh

• Sonali Ghosh belongs to a family of Army personnel.

•  At a young age, Sonali Ghosh travelled extensively with her family and found her passion for nature.

• After she completed her schooling, Sonali Ghosh appeared for pre-medical entrance exams but failed to pass it. She later prepared for the civil services examinations and became an IFS officer.

• Sonali became the topper of the IFS 2000-2003 batch.

• In 2000, Sonali became a part of the Indian Forest Service (IFS).

• She was first posted at the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, Assam, which is famous for its one-horned rhinos.

• After Kaziranga National Park, Sonali was posted to Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in Chakrashila Hill, Assam. At Chakrashila, she worked for the preservation of golden Langurs.

• Later, she became the field director of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
• Sonali was the Chief Conservator of Forests for the Research Education and Working Plan Division at the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force at the Manas National Park in Guwahati.

• In Guwahati, she actively worked for the formal revival process for Manas National Park and was also involved in the first successful rehabilitation of captive-bred clouded leopard cubs in the wild.

• She worked at the Manas National Park for 15 years and later started working as a researcher and scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India.

• Her research work at the Wildlife Institute of India included Ex-situ conservation, Protected Area Governance and exploring nature-culture linkages for heritage conservation.

• Sonali Ghosh has co-edited two books, Cultural Landscapes of Asia, and an Anthology on Wild Treasures- Reflections on Natural Heritage in Asia.

• Sonali Ghosh was also appointed as the Deputy Inspector General of Forest-Central Zoo Authority with the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change.

• Sonali Ghosh became the first woman field director of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on 1 September 2023.

  

• Sonali Ghosh describes herself as a “pragmatic Wildlifer.”

• In 2021, she was appointed as the Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

• Sonali Ghosh has also worked with UNESCO C2C at the World Natural Heritage Center at the Wildlife Institute of India.