2026-03-19

On 19 March 2026, the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) had the privilege of welcoming eight dynamic IAS Officer Trainees of the 2025 Batch as part of their Winter Study Tour under the IAS Professional Course of LBSNAA, Mussoorie. Chosen as an attachment organization for its strong grounding in community-based ecological work, TIES offered the trainees a full day of practical exposure across the social, rural, agricultural, governance, and technology sectors.

From Insightful Talks to Field Immersions

The visit began with a warm welcome and an orientation session led by Dr. Punnen Kurian, Director of TIES, who introduced the officers to the institute’s wide-ranging environmental programmes and community-linked interventions. This was followed by an engaging session by Dr. Sebastian Joseph, Head, environmental History & Anthropocene, Division, who unpacked the philosophy and evolution of the “TIES Model” through real-world case studies on sustainability.

The trainees then transitioned into a series of immersive, hands-on sessions designed to bridge policy thinking with field realities. They explored the Bees for Life and Mushroom projects, gaining first-hand understanding of biodiversity conservation and livelihood development. A session at TIES’ accredited laboratory gave them a close look at water quality monitoring, while the Green Audit & ESG module introduced them to the process and relevance of ISO-compliant auditing for institutions and industries. The visit concluded with an exposure to TIES Farmer Producer Company Ltd. (TIESFPC), a pioneering model of fallow land farming that strengthens rural economies through cooperative action.

Expert-Led Interactions

Field and technical sessions were facilitated by a dedicated team including Mr. Sarath Babu N.B, Nature Education officer & AO, Ms. Raimol Thomas, Project Assistant, Mushroom Division, Ms. Ananya P., Project Manager, ISO Green Audit Consultancy Division, Ms. Anju Ajikumar, Laboratory Manager, and Ms. Suhana, Project officer, wings of Awareness Project. Event coordination and communication support were provided by Mr. Jijomon P.P., Designer & Digital media Manager and Ms. Megha M.M., Communication officer, ensuring a seamless learning experience for the trainees.

Strengthening the Vision of Inclusive Governance

By engaging closely with grassroots scientific systems, the officers gained a deeper appreciation of how rural livelihoods, ecological knowledge, and sustainable development intersect. Such exposure is crucial in shaping administrators who can translate scientific evidence into inclusive, resilient, and transparent governance frameworks. TIES is honoured to be part of their “Lab-to-Land” learning journey. We extend our warmest wishes to these promising future leaders as they move forward to serve the nation with commitment and insight.