Celebrating forests, documenting hope Premium

Forests of Life, the second edition of Azim Premji University’s annual climate festival, sought to celebrate forests through an ensemble of art installations and photographs by young interns from across the country.

We encounter fungi in various forms every day, but ever wondered how life on earth would be without fungi?

Shrey Gupta, environmental microbiologist and mushroom connoisseur, notes that life on land may not last very long without fungi.

“They are the decomposers of the planet. If fungi were not there, everything – including humans, plants and animals -would be covered in a pile of dirt,” he says. Gupta was demonstrating his exhibit on the mycelial network displayed as part of the ‘Forests of Life’ festival held at Azim Premji University (APU).

‘Forests of Life’, the second edition of the university’s annual climate festival, was unveiled in the first week of November. The festival sought to celebrate forests through an ensemble of art installations and photographs by young interns from across the country.

The festival also featured music, movies, artefacts, interactive workshops and performances by various communities.

“We set up the festival in such a way that it is for the young by the young because children speak to children very well,” said Dr. Harini Nagendra, Director, Research Centre and Centre for Climate Change, Azim Premji University. “We had an open call for internships and 130 interns were selected out of the applications received,” she added.  

The student interns travelled through 110 diverse forests across the country documenting their experiences and what they observed in the forests – from indigenous communities who nurture a deep connection with the forest to human-animal conflicts to forest guards who have dedicated their careers protecting the wildlife and more.