Wildlife Conservationist & Documentary Filmmaker; National Geographic Explorer; Author of "Gods in Shackles"
Sangita Iyer Biography
Sangita Iyer is an Indian-born Canadian author, broadcast journalist, biologist, and documentary filmmaker recognized for her contributions to wildlife conservation and environmental education. Iyer's work has brought attention to the plight of Asian elephants, combining her academic background in science, film production, and journalism to inform and engage global audiences.
Her career in media began as a health and environmental journalist, producing reports on nature and wildlife for the Discovery Channel science-news program "Daily Planet." She has also worked at CTV Toronto, served as a videographer at OMNI Television, and anchored at ZBM Bermuda, an ABC/CBS affiliate. Iyer was selected for The Climate Reality Project training by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
A pivotal moment in Iyer's career occurred after a trip to India, where she witnessed the suffering of temple elephants during cultural festivals. This experience led her to document the exploitation of elephants in Kerala, resulting in her debut documentary, "Gods in Shackles." The feature-length film exposes the use of temple elephants in Kerala's cultural festivals and examines the intersection of tradition, religion, and animal welfare. "Gods in Shackles" received positive reviews, was nominated at the United Nations General Assembly, and won 13 international film festival awards. Jane Goodall, the UN Messenger of Peace, endorsed the film, which contributed to advocacy for legislative changes to India's wildlife and animal welfare laws. The documentary is available on Amazon Prime.
Following "Gods in Shackles," Iyer expanded her conservation storytelling as a National Geographic Explorer. She received a National Geographic Society grant to produce the 26-part documentary series "Asian Elephants 101," which premiered on National Geographic channels. Through her research, Iyer highlighted the urgent threats facing wild elephants, including habitat loss and human-elephant conflict, which impact both wildlife and communities near forest areas.
Iyer is also the author of the book "Gods in Shackles – What Elephants Can Teach Us About Empathy, Resilience, and Freedom," which explores the exploitation of captive elephants in cultural festivals and includes a foreword by Jane Goodall. The book became a bestseller.
Iyer is the founding executive director and president of the Voice for Asian Elephants Society, an organization dedicated to protecting wild and captive elephants in India. Through the society, she has championed the use of AI-based technology for elephant conservation, including robotic elephants, collision prevention systems, and the planting of elephant-friendly saplings. The organization has initiated more than a dozen projects in two states, led by local conservationists and Indigenous people, to create sustainable solutions for wildlife and communities.
Iyer's work has been recognized with several honors, including the Nari Shakthi Puraskaar, India's highest award for women making a difference, presented by the President of India. Her efforts have received international media coverage from BBC News, National Geographic magazine, and The Telegraph. Iyer continues to be a leading voice in global wildlife conservation, merging scientific expertise, journalistic storytelling, and advocacy for animal welfare.
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Sangita Iyer Speaking Topics
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Climate Change
Elephants are proven climate mitigators. We all know that money makes the world go round, and the International Monetary Fund values one elephant’s lifetime of carbon sequestration at $1.75 million per sq. km. Sangita can discuss the importance of protecting these natural climate mitigators and the cascading effects of their loss that would be felt around the world, helping people realize that everything is interconnected. She focused on the monetary benefits of elephant conservation when she rang the closing bell at NASDAQ, the world’s second largest stock exchange.
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Biodiversity
Elephants are a keystone species, meaning other species depend on them for survival. When an elephant is lost, so is their important link to support others in the magnificent web of life, including humans. Sangita’s short films include interviews with experts on how the elephants maintain balance and support life around them.
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Sangita Iyer for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Sangita Iyer, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Sangita Iyer or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Sangita Iyer
Speaking fees for Sangita Iyer, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Sangita Iyer are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Sangita Iyer, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Sangita Iyer speak about?
Sangita Iyer is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Animals & Wildlife, Biology, Climate Change, Conservation, Environment, Environmental Activism, Environmental Science, Government, Immigration, Influential Women, Journalist, Non-Fiction Authors, Television & Film, Women -
Where does Sangita Iyer travel from?
Sangita Iyer generally travels from Toronto, Canada, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Sangita Iyer’s agent?
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Sangita Iyer is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Climate Change, Biodiversity, Women’s Empowerment , Healing from Abuse, Re-Wilding and Immigration. The estimated speaking fee range to book Sangita Iyer for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Sangita Iyer generally travels from Toronto, Canada and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Meg Lowman, Winona LaDuke, Kurdt Greenwood, Andrés Ruzo and Nalini Nadkarni. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sangita Iyer for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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