Scientist C
Department of Ecodevelopment Planning & Participatory Management.
Email : riteshgautam [at] wii [dot] gov [dot] in
Email (alt): gautam[dot]ritesh878[at] gmail [dot] com
Tel: 01352646304
Ph: 9968747382

I am primarily interested in the remarkable diversity of insects, with a particular focus on wild bees. My journey with insects began during my B.Sc. and M.Sc. studies in Zoology with a specialization in Entomology at the University of Delhi. Since then, I have been collecting, curating, and maintaining insect collections. My PhD research focuses on the pollination interactions and insect pollinators within the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. To understand these interactions, I employed automated motion-detecting cameras, point-focused cameras, and pollen signature analysis. Recently, I've expanded my research to address the complex taxonomic challenges of mining bees (genus Andrena) in India by providing critical revision and establishing a new reference collection here at the Wildlife Institute of India.

I have been inquisitive since childhood, exploring various activities stimulating my curiosity. The immense possibilities in nature directed me toward reading more about it through non-fiction texts, science documentaries and debates. My fascination with sci-fi movies transports me to possible realms. Besides my fascination with nature, I love pictorial depictions of tiny creatures as macro photographs. I appreciate grunge and classic rock music and outdoor activities that mainly include playing tennis and exploring outdoors on my bicycle.