Ishika Chakma

Ishika Chakma, an indigenous climate advocate from Tripura and a Literature postgraduate, began her work by combining storytelling with grassroots engagement to highlight environmental and social issues within her community. She has worked as a content writer and video creator with Homchang A Digital Media and contributed to NorthEast Water Talk. Through writing, digital media, and cultural advocacy, she has consistently worked to preserve indigenous knowledge systems.

Ishika, as an NYCC Climate Champion from Tripura, initiaed her project to bring awareness about the impacts of monoculture rubber plantations, focusing on deforestation, biodiversity loss, and farmer vulnerability. She mobilised over 360 indigenous youth, elders, and farmers, facilitating intergenerational dialogues, documenting traditional ecological practices, and organising field visits. Collaborating with stakeholders like the Rubber Board of India, Agartala Municipal corporation, Climate Change Cell Tripura, Holy Cross College Agartala she has conducted cleanliness drives, awareness workshops and made youth-led initiatives possible - for the first time in the state.

She is currently working as a Guest Lecturer in Maharaja Bir Bikram College, a GLF Social Media Ambassador and has engaged with the Earth Journalism Network (EJN), collaborating with journalists to amplify climate stories and indigenous perspectives through media and storytelling.