Happy New Year! Today on the podcast we have Sangita Iyer joining us. She is a journalist, biologist, award-winning filmmaker, National Geographic Explorer, and founder of Voice for Asian Elephants Society. Sangita was born and raised in Kerala, India, home to captive elephants used in temple ceremonies, documented in her award-winning film Gods in Shackles and now her new book called Gods in Shackels: What Elephants Can Teach Us About Empathy, Resilience, and Freedom.  Considered the “Blackfish for elephants,” the film exposes the heartbreaking plight of these amazing gentle giants in India. From her home in Canada, Sangita now oversees teams on the ground in India who combat elephant poaching, illegal trade, habitat loss and more. Hope and Sangita discuss the precarious situation for elephants in India, for both the wild population and for the captured elephants used in rituals.  

“Elephants are the largest animals on earth, and they are literally designed to play a vital role in the ecosystem. Climate change has no borders, so what happens to elephants in India and Africa reverberates and impacts other countries at a devastating pace.”   -Sangita Iyer

Resources: 

Gods in Shackles (website)

Gods in Shackles (film)

Gods in Shackles (book) 

Voice for Asian Elephants Society

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