Sunjoy Monga (1961 or 1962 – 28 May 2025) was an Indian

wildlife photographer Wildlife photography is a genre of photography concerned with documenting various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat. As well as requiring photography skills, wildlife photographers may need field craft skills. For example, some anim ...

, conservationist,

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

and writer based in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Life and career

Monga was born in Masjid Bunder. Monga led nature trail walks for the BNHS in the early 1990s, and also served as associate editor of the conservation magazine

Sanctuary Asia ''Sanctuary Asia'' is an Indian nature and wildlife conservation magazine founded in 1981 by Bittu Sahgal, its current editor. The magazine expanded in 2015 to become established as a non-profit foundation (Sanctuary Nature Foundation). Sanctu ...

between 1990-94. Monga conceived in 2005, and co-managed until his death, the India BirdRaces, an annual initiative now renamed WINGS. The program brings together bird-watchers on a designated day to record sightings, particularly in urban regions, over the course of the day. Monga served as a member of the

Bombay Natural History Society The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants and publ ...

governing council, the executive committee of the

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Mumbai Metropolitan Region (ISO 15919, ISO: ''Muṁbaī Mahānagara Pradēśa''; abbreviated to MMR and previously also known as Greater Bombay Metropolitan Area), is a metropolitan area consisting of Mumbai and its Satellite city, satellite tow ...

Environment Improvement Society and the Maharashtra Nature Park Society. He was also an honorary Warden of the

Sanjay Gandhi National Park Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a national park in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was established in 1969 with its headquarters situated at Borivali. The 2400-year-old Kanheri caves, sculpted by monks out of the rocky basaltic cliffs, lie within the ...

. Monga initiated an environmental awareness drive 'Young Rangers' in 2007 amongst schools and school children across India. He was chosen to be on the Tumbhi advisory panel. Monga died on 28 May 2025, at the age of 63.

Bibliography

* ''City Forest'' * ''Wildlife Reserves of India'' * ''The Mumbai Nature Guide'' * ''Birds of Mumbai'' * ''Journeys Through India's Last Wild Places'' * ''Mumbai Safari'' * ''Birds of the Mumbai Region''

References

1960s births Year of birth uncertain 2025 deaths Indian ornithologists Indian wildlife photographers Artists from Mumbai Members of the Bombay Natural History Society {{environmentalist-stub