Tanuz Kalita

Tanuz Kalita is a researcher and anthropologist working at the intersection of indigenous knowledge and climate resilience. With an academic background from Delhi University and JNU, and field experience spanning refugee support in the Thar Desert to disaster response in Assam, he brings a grounded, cross-cultural approach to climate adaptation.

His work focuses on forest-based and riverine ecologies, examining how indigenous knowledge systems shape climate-resilient livelihoods across Northeast India. As an NYCC Climate Champion from Assam, he has supported community-led livelihood interventions in flood- and erosion-affected regions, working closely with SHGs to strengthen local resilience, which included mobilizing resources to provide 20 sewing kits, enabling 20 families to build alternative, climate-resilient income pathways rooted in community needs.

A recent IUCN Storyteller Fellow, Tanuz documented community-led adaptation along the Umngot River through film. He is currently engaged in comparative research across indigenous communities in Northeast India and Indonesia, exploring how traditional ecological knowledge responds to climate change.

Alongside his research, he collaborates with organizations working on freshwater ecosystem conservation and animal welfare, contributing to approaches that are locally grounded and ecologically informed