Sangita Iyer has garnered the coveted title of National Geographic Explorer twice - in 2018 and 2022.
Sangita Iyer is the author of the recently released book, Gods in Shackles, a National Geographic Explorer, multiple award-winning nature & wildlife filmmaker and broadcast journalist, and a biologist. Nine of the 26 short films of the Asian Elephants 101 series world premiered on multiple National Geographic channels. Sangita also directed and produced the globally acclaimed epic documentary, "Gods in Shackles", which was nominated at the United Nations General Assembly, and has garnered 13 international film festival awards. Sangita received the "Nari Shakthi Puraskaar" - Women Power Award - the highest award for women making a difference in India from the country's President for her courage to expose the plight of captive elephants that are being exploited for profit behind the veil of culture and religion.
During the production of Gods in Shackles film, Sangita was deeply saddened by the plight of Kerala’s festival elephants. She realized that there was a significant lack of awareness regarding the plight of captive elephants, and used Gods in Shackles documentary as an educational tool to empower the people of India, particularly students, who hold the key to the future.
She soon realized that it was also necessary to implement tangible solutions to protect the endangered Asian elephants that were elevated to the status of India's Heritage Animal in 2010. This inspired her to create Voices for Asian Elephants (VFAE) and offer resources to the people of India, to stop capturing and exploiting elephants, and protect their habitat.
Sangita’s deep bond with elephants began when she was around three years old. Her grandparents took her to their family temple in a little village near the District of Palakkad in Kerala, southern India, where she was born and raised. By the age of four her family moved to Mumbai, where she did her schooling and university, but she missed interacting with her soul animals.
After her undergrad degree in B. Sc., Sangita taught in a primary school in Mumbai for a while, followed by a stint as a secondary school teacher in Nairobi, Kenya. She eventually moved to Toronto, Canada, where she went back to school and pursued broadcast journalism, aspiring to educate the masses about nature and wildlife.
Sangita began her journalism career as a news desk assistant at CTV Toronto, then as a video journalist and host at Rogers’ OMNI Television in Toronto. She moved to Bermuda in 2004, where she reported and anchored the primetime news on the island’s ABC/ CBS affiliate, ZBM News.
In 2008 she co-founded Bermuda Environmental Alliance (BEA), a non-profit organization aimed at educating Bermudians on nature and wildlife issues, and providing practical solutions aligned with earth stewardship. Over the years Sangita transitioned into producing nature and wildlife documentaries harnessing the power of sounds and images to communicate in a manner that resonated with people.
Sangita produced a four-part miniseries, Bermuda – Nature’s Jewel for Discovery Channel Canada’s Daily Planet. She also hosted, executive directed and produced a six-part series of the same title, currently being used as an educational aid in Bermuda’s schools. In September 2012 Sangita was one of the few Canadians selected for The Climate Reality Project training by the former US Vice President Al Gore. She has given several lectures on climate change in Canadian schools and universities.
Sangita's Awards
Nari Shakti Puraskar
March 2017
The highest award for women making a difference in India – from the Honorable President of India
Gods in Shackles Documentary
Dec 2015 - Nov 2016
Gods in Shackles documentary received 10 international film festival awards
United Nations Nomination
March 2016
Gods in Shackles nominated at the United Nations General Assembly by the International Elephant Film Festival & CITES (a UN wing for wildlife protection)
Bermuda National Trust
September 2012
Bermuda National Trust award for Bermuda – Nature’s Jewel
Founder's
Award
October 2013
Royal Roads University’s (MA) "Founder’s Award for Leadership, Sustainability, and Personal Development"
Award of Excellence
December 2013
"Award of Excellence" for M.A. thesis documentary, Connecting the Dots: television news media and climate change
Best Broadcast Journalist
2008
In 2008 Sangita was named the “Best Broadcast Journalist” by the popular Bermudian magazine
DeForest Trimingham Award
2007
In 2007, Sangita received the inaugural DeForest Trimingham Award – top environmental awareness award from Bermuda National Trust for her 13-part series Enviro Shorts.
Sangita's Scholarships
The prestigious Social Sciences and Humanity’s Research Council scholarship from the Government of Canada
CanWest Global Communications Award
The George and Marjorie New Memorial Award for waste reduction initiatives
Sangita's Academic Qualifications & Other Training
Masters (M.A.)
Environmental Education and Communication
Royal Roads University, Victoria
B.C. (Canada)
Bachelor of Science
Biology
University of Bombay
India
Post-Graduate Diploma
Broadcast Journalism (Dean's Honorary Role)
Humber College
Toronto (ON), Canada