RAHUL SHARMA

Founder, Birds of Sattal & Indian Savanna , Incredible birding , Hide out in the himalayas | Director of Photography, Incredible Birding

Rahul Sharma is the Founder of **Birds of Sattal** and **Indian Savanna**, and serves as Director of Photography at **Incredible Birding**. A lifelong nature enthusiast and accomplished wildlife photographer, Rahul has dedicated much of his life to exploring some of the world's most remote and wildlife-rich landscapes.

For Rahul, photography is far more than a profession—it is a way of life. His philosophy is simple: *working hours begin when his eyes open and end when they close.* Whether photographing birds, mammals, landscapes or intimate moments of animal behaviour, he is constantly thinking about light, composition, perspective and the story behind an image.

Long hours in the field do not diminish his enthusiasm. Spending 17–18 hours pursuing a single photographic opportunity is simply part of the journey when the possibility of capturing an exceptional moment exists.

Rahul possesses extensive knowledge of remote wildlife destinations, particularly across the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas. His travels have taken him in pursuit of elusive species—from tracking rare Red Foxes in the high Himalayas to searching for Desert Foxes in the Thar Desert. His passion lies not only in finding wildlife, but in understanding its habitat, behaviour and the ecological story surrounding it.

His connection with photography began during childhood. Growing up in a family that encouraged travel, Rahul had the opportunity to explore many parts of India from an early age. Those journeys gradually developed into a lifelong fascination with nature and wildlife. His earliest photographic memories were made on Kodak film, long before digital photography transformed the medium.

In 2005, he acquired his first DSLR, a Canon 20D, marking the beginning of a more serious photographic journey. His fascination with birds, however, dates back much further—to his school years, when he would regularly feed and observe them.

Over the years, wildlife photography became an all-consuming passion. Rahul's field experiences have taken him from remote Himalayan caves and freezing high-altitude landscapes to deserts approaching 50°C. He has worked in environments involving freezing temperatures, difficult terrain, water, mud, ticks and leeches, often spending countless hours waiting for a single behavioural moment.

He considers himself a true **bushman at heart**—someone who feels most at home outdoors and is willing to endure difficult conditions in pursuit of a meaningful photograph.

A graduate of a Delhi school and a Master's degree holder in Computer Science, Rahul has successfully combined his technical background with his passion for photography, travel and natural history.

His photographic interests extend across the globe, with favourite destinations including **Ndutu, Puga, the Andaman Islands, the Sundarbans, Uttarakhand, Patagonia, Hanle, South Georgia, Iceland and the Arctic**.

Among all photographic subjects, animal and bird behaviour remains closest to his heart. For Rahul, the most powerful wildlife photographs are not simply portraits of animals—they are moments that reveal character, interaction, survival and the extraordinary relationship between wildlife and its environment.

His philosophy towards exploration is beautifully captured by the words:

> *“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”*

For Rahul, every journey is another opportunity to explore, learn and create an image that tells a story.

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KHUSHBOO SHARMA

Founder & Director, Birding Tours & Videography | Incredible Birding

Khushboo Sharma is the Founder and Director of Birding Tours and Videography at **Indian Savanna**, where she works closely with the team to ensure that important natural-history moments are observed, documented and preserved in the field.

Her journey into birding began with an extraordinary fascination for the Himalayas. At a time when very few young women were travelling extensively into remote Himalayan landscapes in pursuit of birds, Khushboo was already exploring some of the region's most challenging and isolated locations.

Over the years, her curiosity evolved into an extraordinary knowledge of Himalayan birds, habitats and behaviour. Photography and birding have become an integral part of her life—something she approaches with exceptional enthusiasm, patience and dedication.

Khushboo has a particular fascination for **owls and partridges**, and is renowned among fellow birders for her ability to locate well-camouflaged and elusive species. Her fieldcraft allows her to scan dense woodland and difficult terrain with remarkable attention to detail, frequently locating birds that others might overlook.

By 2017, she had recorded more than **1,000 bird species**, placing her among India's highly experienced birders. Her experience is not limited to maintaining a species list; she has developed an intimate understanding of where and how birds behave, making her an invaluable companion in the field.

A birding expedition with Khushboo is often about discovering the birds that are present but rarely seen. Her extraordinary observation skills, patience and knowledge of habitat make her particularly effective at finding cryptic and highly camouflaged species.

With more than **300 journeys into the Himalayas**, Khushboo is also one of the most frequent visitors to Sattal, one of India's celebrated birding destinations. Her long association with the region has allowed her to develop an exceptional understanding of its seasonal movements, bird habitats and natural history.

She is equally meticulous when it comes to documentation. Her systematic approach to field schedules, species records and natural-history observations has contributed significantly to the growing knowledge base and species documentation maintained by the Indian Savanna team.

Her adventurous spirit has taken her into some of the most challenging Himalayan environments in search of rare wildlife, including **Snow Leopard and Himalayan Tahr**. Her philosophy is simple: difficult terrain and unpredictable conditions are not reasons to turn back—they are part of the adventure.

Her memorable tagline captures this spirit perfectly:

> **“The best of the Himalayas can be seen at night.”**

For those willing to venture beyond conventional birding destinations and experience the Himalayas in their rawest form, Khushboo brings an extraordinary combination of field knowledge, determination, observation skills and an infectious passion for nature.