Ishan Shanavas’ debut book The Light of Wilder Things opens with an intriguing preface. “In 2017, I was a restless 14-year-old, adrift with no clear direction in life. I encountered a tiger in a forest and my life’s course shifted forever…” it reads.
The pages that follow capture the same intrigue and excitement that Ishan feels each time he is out in the wild. “Right now as I breathe, there are creatures out there with beating hearts just like mine,” he says. Ishan was in Kochi recently to speak about his book at a literary event.
The book
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Special Arrangement
The book is on Amazon’s best seller list and has already sold over 5,000 copies in less than five months.
Wildlife has been part of Ishan’s life, an interest that was sowed in his early childhood, by his parents Priya Shanavas and Shanavas PN, who took him along on their Nature travels. His parents, based in Bengaluru, were part of a project in Ladakh, building artificial glaciers that helped farmers access water during the summers. “Between six and 12 years of age, I have been to Ladakh many times — we would make two to three trips every year. I believe it is this exposure to Nature that shaped my thoughts and interests,” he says.
The interest was further enriched by his alma mater Rishi Valley school in Andhra Pradesh, where he explored the surroundings freely, constantly delighting in the joys of the natural world. “This is where I developed a deep interest in birds and snakes…Every wildlife book in the library has my name on it,” he says.
The black-crowned night heron clicked by Ishan Shanavas
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Every year, the school would organise student excursions for experiential learning outside the classroom and on one such session, when Ishan was in Class nine, the theme was Nature and he got the opportunity to visit Agumbe, a village in Karnataka, one of the best places to observe snakes in India. It helped that Ishan was “obsessed with snakes” at that point. A chapter in the book is devoted to this excursion where Ishan witnessed the rescue of a king cobra. “The snake’s gaze seared into mine … They did not scare me or offer comfort; they peered into a void within me that I had never known,” writes Ishan.
The 22-year-old’s felicity with language is evident in the way he recounts his experiences and encounters in the wild. “This book was always in the making. I only formally started work on it when my father suggested that I could try my hand at writing. I was only 19 at the time. For over two and a half years, I worked on it. It went through 11 drafts,” says Ishan. He was part of a writing community, which helped his method and process. “Writing the book was the hardest thing I have ever done,” he laughs.
Lion-tailed macaque clicked by Ishan Shanavas
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In addition to photographs taken by Ishan, the book also features his illustrations of many of the creatures he encountered. “It was my mother who gave me the idea that I could illustrate my own book,” says Ishan.
From the endangered Bengal tiger to the tiny Kerala warty frog, Ishan approaches each of the creatures with a sense of respect while describing them. He provides context, information and brings in a touch of emotion.
The book is a young naturalist’s field guide to the wild and the creatures in it, written poetic flair.
Male Asiatic elephant photographed by Ishan Shanavas
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Should one ask a naturalist about his favourite creature? “No,” laughs Ishan. “But right now, I am fascinated by whales,” he says.
Ishan Shanavas during an Eco-Inspire session
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Inspiring children
Ishan, who completed his undergraduation in Environmental Studies, Entrepreneurship and Sociology from Ashoka University, Delhi, is a podcaster and TEDx speaker as well. He founded Eco-Inspire, an education programme that aims to bring the wonders of wildlife and sustainability into classrooms across India. Through storytelling, photography and interactive sessions, Ishan aims to inspire a sense of curiosity in children for wildlife. When he launched it in May 2025, the goal was to reach out to 10,000 students across the country, but Ishan was able to reach 27,000 students across 20 cities and five States.
In these one-hour sessions, Ishan walks the students through the basics of wildlife and conservation. Through puzzles and games, he gets them to interact. “The students’ enthusiasm is testament to the power of Nature and its ability to inspire,” says Ishan.
The Light of Wilder Things is available on Amazon ₹499.
Published – December 18, 2025 11:58 pm IST