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Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries.
Sandhya Sekar never intended to lead a newsroom.
Trained as an ecologist with a Ph.D., Sekar pivoted into journalism to pursue a wider lens on environmental science. Her path wasn’t linear, but it was intentional. First as a writer, then as an editor, and ultimately as the founding program director of Mongabay India, she helped transform an editorial experiment into one of the country’s most respected environmental news platforms.
When Mongabay launched its India bureau in 2018, it needed someone who could bridge science, storytelling, and systems. Sekar, then a freelance contributor and former intern at Mongabay, was selected to co-lead the initiative. With a small remote team and a big vision, she helped build the operation from scratch — hiring, fundraising, planning, and steadily steering the newsroom through its formative years.
She doesn’t often take center stage. But her influence is everywhere, from the decision to launch Mongabay Hindi to the way her team members describe her as a calm, trusted presence.
What Sandhya says she has learned along the way:
- Not all impact is visible.
Behind-the-scenes work — solving problems, holding a team together — is as critical as the stories that get published.
- Storytelling is about resonance.
Whether speaking to policymakers or rural communities, the most powerful narratives blend data with lived experience.
- Leadership doesn’t have to be about the limelight.
Approachability, consistency, and trust can be just as powerful as boldness or charisma.
- Language matters.
Launching Mongabay Hindi wasn’t a translation project—it was about breaking access barriers and inviting new audiences into the conversation.
- Let the path evolve.
Sekar says she didn’t chase a title. She stayed curious, followed what mattered to her, and grew into a role that grew with her.
Sandhya’s journey is a reminder that impact doesn’t always come with a byline — and that modest leadership can be just as transformative as bold vision.
Read the full interview with Sandhya Sekar here.
Banner image: Sandhya Sekar in Kerala, India, in 2025. Image by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.
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