Our Team
Shahid S. Sulaiman
Founder | Researcher, Climate Activist and Advocate for Sustainable Pastoralism.
Dedicated Researcher specializing in Pastoralism, Grasslands, Climate change, and Sustainable Pastoral practices in the Kashmir Himalayas. With a focus on preserving traditional knowledge and fostering sustainable solutions, I lead initiatives like Alpine Pond Solution, aimed at mitigating the effects of climate-induced drought through innovative water conservation strategies, and Grassland to Classroom, which bridges the gap between academic knowledge and traditional pastoral wisdom. I am also part of the Regional Support Group for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) South Asia.
YAMEEN NAZIR
Incharge Media and Documentation
I am an Engineering graduate, and a dedicated filmmaker by passion. At HPT, I serve as the Incharge of Media and Documentation, where I focus on capturing stories that reflect community traditions, challenges, and resilience, while also capturing and documenting HPT’s various initiatives. I strive to preserve cultural heritage and contribute to positive change within pastoral communities through visual storytelling.
SHAFIQ QURESHI
Researcher | Editor, Dokh'Ma Letters | Accounts Manager
Shafiq holds a Master’s degree in English Literature and is currently a Researcher in Literary Studies. He is committed to preserving indigenous stories, culture, and heritage. At HPT, he develops educational resources in local languages, and serves as a resource person in various educational workshops. He also manages the trust’s accounts and serves as the Editor of Dokh’ma Letters, the trust’s e-magazine, ensuring careful curation and the meaningful representation of diverse voices.
DR. RAYEES AHMED
Expert in Climate Change and Natural Hazards with a Focus on Himalayan Extremes
Dr. Rayees Ahmed is a leading researcher in Climate Change, Natural Hazards, and Disaster Risk, currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds under the International Strategy Fund. With a Ph.D. from the University of Kashmir, he has published over 45 articles and serves on editorial boards, including Springer and Frontiers in Water. Recognized with the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (2020), he has expertise in remote sensing, GIS, and glacial geomorphology. Dr. Ahmed also serves as Secretary for the GSAG of AAG and has presented his work at AGU, EGU, and AAG.
JABID CHAUHAN
Empowering Van Gujjar Education and Heritage, Nature Guide
Advocate for the Van Gujjar community A Pastoral Tribe Based in Uttarakhand, specializing in education and cultural preservation. As a Project Coordinator at Jeevan Shiksha, I teach and develop learning materials for Van Gujjar children. I also work as a Nature Guide at Rajaji National Park and Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve, highlighting the community’s natural heritage. My projects include cultural preservation under the Samvaad Fellowship and biodiversity monitoring with Sanctuary Asia. Awarded the Western Himalaya Green Hub Conservation Small Grant in 2024.
JAMEELA SHAFI
Community Conservation Practitioner
Grassroots conservation practitioner working across mountain landscapes of Kazinag, North Kashmir, My work focuses on Markhor conservation through community engagement, field-based monitoring, and reducing local threats to habitat and wildlife movement corridors. I am also engaged in human–wildlife conflict awareness and documentation, to promote safer coexistence. At HPT I, contributes to conservation action through participatory outreach, documentation of wildlife sightings and habitat pressures, and community awareness efforts that strengthen long-term stewardship rooted in locally owned solutions that support the protection of fragile Himalayan ecosystems and lesser-studied species.
IDREES AHMAD
Dedicated to Promoting Eco-Friendly Initiatives and Sustainable Futures
dedicated and passionate professional with a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Kashmir, I have devoted my career to promoting sustainable development and environmental conservation. With a strong academic foundation in geographical principles and practices, I aim to address pressing environmental challenges and develop eco-friendly solutions that foster a sustainable future in bordering district of Kupwara. I have been actively working with the Chopan pastoral community, to make a positive impact on the environment.
UZMA FAROOQ
Lead – Women’s Initiatives
I am a medical researcher and community worker from the Pir Panjal region, committed to advocating for women’s health in tribal communities. At HPT, I lead initiatives that empower pastoralist women by raising awareness on women’s rights, personal and menstrual hygiene, and education. My work also focuses on strengthening local leadership through active community engagement, field visits, and capacity-building workshops.
ARIF CHOUHAN
Coordinator, Grassland to Classroom Initiative
Experienced educator specializing in tribal schooling, with 5 years of experience in summer mobile schooling. I hold a B.Tech and as the Coordinator of the Grassland to Classroom Initiative, I work to support Gujjar and Bakerwal students during their seasonal migration in the high Himalayan meadows. My focus is on adapting educational strategies to meet the unique needs of these communities, ensuring continuity in education while respecting their cultural and environmental context. I am dedicated to providing sustainable education solutions tailored to the migratory lifestyle of these students
ABRAR FAROOQ
Researcher | Lead GIS Team
Research Fellow at the University of Kashmir, with focus on mountain ecosystems, glaciers, and cryospheric processes, with an emphasis on climate change impacts in high mountain regions.
I specialize in GIS and remote sensing for environmental analysis and lead the GIS team at the Himalayan Pastoral Trust, where I mentor interns in applied GIS and data management for research and field based projects.
SHAISTA MUSHTAQ
Public Health & Community Research
Researcher in Public health and Medical Geography. Focusing on climate-related health risks and the links between environmental change and human well-being. At the Himalayan Pastoral Trust, i work closely with pastoral women to translate research into practical action, supporting community engagement, health risk communication, field-based assessments, and policy-relevant research aimed at building climate-resilient and healthy communities.
SHOWKAT HAMID MIR
Paleoecology & Grassland
Humboldt Fellow, Botanist and paleoecologist specializing in phytolith analysis, grass systematics, and multi-proxy reconstruction of past vegetation and climate in the Himalayas. My work explores uplift-driven diversification of Himalayan ecosystems using advanced palaeoecological approaches. At the Himalayan Pastoral Trust, I contributes to scientific expertise to understanding long-term landscape dynamics, grassland evolution, and ecological baselines critical for conservation and rangeland restoration.
