Kartiki Gonsalves
Kartiki Gonsalves is an Indian director, documentary filmmaker, and visual storyteller, best known for her Academy Award®–winning debut documentary, The Elephant Whisperers. She is the first Indian director in history to win an Academy Award, a milestone celebrated worldwide. Kartiki attended the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, where the Oscar® for Best Documentary Short Film was presented to her by Elizabeth Olsen and Pedro Pascal.
Her work has earned international recognition, including the Tara Award from Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla for contributions to human-wildlife coexistence, and the Paul Harris Award from Rotary International for her humanitarian and conservation efforts. She was also named one of GQ India’s Most Influential Young Indians of 2023.
In addition to filmmaking, Kartiki is a Sony Alpha Artisan of Imagery, one of the first women in India to receive this distinction. She collaborates with brands such as Peak Design and Swarovski Optik Nature Explorer 2021, and her photography has been published in The Hindu, Economic Times, Deccan Herald, Scroll.in, Jet Wings, Smart Photography, and Classic Imaging.
Kartiki founded Earth Spectrum Studios in 2018, a production company dedicated to storytelling that highlights biodiversity, environmental conservation, and cultural life. She focuses on amplifying voices of women, Indigenous communities, and underrepresented groups while documenting conservation solutions that inspire hope.
Her work spans both wildlife and cultural documentaries, including contributions as a camerawoman on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet’s On The Brink (2018). She continues long-term projects documenting elusive wildlife and capturing cultural narratives across India.
Through her films and photography, Kartiki brings adventure, culture, and nature together to deepen public understanding of our shared connection to the natural world and to foster empathy, awareness, and positive change.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartiki_Gonsalves