The first field trip of my batch near Kuno wildlife sanctuary in 2011 was interesting. We used to get up at 4 a.m. and be out in the field by 4.30 a.m. to learn bird sampling techniques. With only tea and biscuits we would cover a distance of 5-7 km. By 9 a.m. our field assistant would arrive on his bicycle carrying breakfast.
After breakfast, fieldwork would resume with techniques in vegetation sampling. By afternoon, we would return to our base camp for lunch. Later, we would use structured interviews and open-ended discussions with local communities to understand their lives. The experiences would be discussed in the evening with our faculty members.
— Rashmi Singh