Dr. V. P. Uniyal is a distinguished Scientist and ecologist, formerly serving as Scientist-G and Senior Professor at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. He holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Kurukshetra University, Haryana.
With over three decades of dedicated service to the field of biodiversity and natural heritage conservation, Dr. Uniyal has made exceptional contributions to Himalayan ecology, biodiversity assessment, ecosystem services, and the development of long-term ecological monitoring strategies. Dr. Uniyal's research integrates field-based ecological studies with community mobilization, engaging ethnic stakeholders within the Protected Area Networks of the Indian Western and Trans-Himalaya. This approach has yielded novel insights into Himalayan faunal ecology, amalgamating indigenous traditional knowledge and innovative conservation strategies.
As a distinguished entomologist, he has led pioneering research on arthropod ecology, establishing invertebrates as bioindicators to assess ecological health in Himalayan landscapes and gauge community responses to anthropogenic and climate mediated changes. His research has culminated to more than 135 research papers, four influential books, and a multitude of scientific reports. His mentorship has guided over 25 Ph.D. students and supported the research endeavors of 35 Master's dissertations. His significant contributions extend beyond research, as he has played a pivotal role in national and international ecological expeditions. These include the Nanda Devi Ecological Expedition in 2001 and invertebrate assessments in the Kailash Mansarovar region in 2014 under the Kailash Secret Landscape Project of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Uniyal received a lifetime achievement award from the Indian Science Congress Association in 2019 (Amravati Chapter), and was honored as one of India's top 50 research guides by the Academic Council of uLektz.
Dr. Uniyal has also served as a consultant for several esteemed international organizations such as The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Govt. of Nepal and Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi India, for building capacities to improve and sustain forest health to enhance the resilience of forests and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities in Nepal, and GIZ on the sustainable management of forest ecosystem services. (www.vpuniyal.com)
