Our Team
Fish Welfare Initiative India Foundation is made of people from diverse backgrounds brought together by a common passion for reducing fish suffering as much as possible. Read on to get to know them.
Karthik Pulugurtha
Karthik has a background in animal welfare and ethical livelihoods. He holds a masters degree in Diplomacy, Law & Business (MA DLB) from the Jindal School of International Affairs. He is a PhD scholar at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research in India, and previously managed the university’s Animal Law Centre. While there, he took up research that shed light on the unethical practices associated with industrialized egg production in India. He has also worked as a research and livelihoods consultant for sixteen Members of Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party. Karthik is deeply committed to ending animal and human suffering and believes in the efficacy of bottom up approaches to change.
Managing Director
Sri Rang K
Sri Rang is dedicated to minimizing animal suffering as much as possible. Aside from being FWI India’s Co-Director, he also serves as the India Coordinator for Shrimp Welfare Project. With eight years of experience in animal rights and welfare and his background in advertising, he has served as a creative strategist for various trade shows and Indian corporations.
Co-Director
Aishwarya Nagula
Aishwarya has been actively involved in animal advocacy for several years and is extremely passionate about farm animal protection. She has conducted various workshops to educate the community on factory farming. Prior to FWI, she worked towards promoting higher welfare policies for farmed animals among institutions and corporations. She holds a law degree from Alliance School of Law, Bangalore. Aishwarya enjoys cooking, writing and spending time with her dog, Poha.
Co-Director
Vivek is a proud conservationist and aquaculturist with a background in coastal aquaculture and marine biotechnology. He has previously worked as a biological oceanographer with marine researches in the CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography, India. Being a true conservation enthusiast, Vivek participated in several organizations in Andhra Pradesh such as Fishing Cat Conservancy (FCC) and Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HYTICOS), along with mangrove restoration activities. He has also been an active member of the East Coast Conservation Team (ECCT). In his free time, Vivek is a passionate beatboxer and a skilled photographer with a love for exploring nature and wildlife.
Senior Project Manager
Vivek Rachuri
Durga Prasad Koppaka
He holds a Bachelor's degree in aquaculture, Durga Prasad has technical expertise in microbiology, Algae culture and water quality analysis in shrimp hatcheries. He is also a passionate member of a Kolattam group, a traditional folk dance form from Andhra Pradesh, and has performed in renowned temples during local festivals.
Project Associate