Aishwarya Raj

Name	Aishwarya Raj
Designation	Associate Professor
Service and year of allotment	Indian Forest Service, 2017 Batch
Cadre	Himachal Pradesh

Qualification

B.Sc. (Hons.) Chemistry, St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi
MBA (International Business), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi (Majors: Marketing & Foreign Trade)
M.Sc. Forestry, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA)

Experience Prior to IGNFA

Brief stint in the corporate sector and startup ecosystem prior to joining the Indian Forest Service.

Served as Deputy Conservator of Forests across three forest divisions of Himachal Pradesh (2019–2025). At Kullu, worked on executing ecotourism projects, nursery modernization and forest enforcement. At Parvati, focused on self-sustaining ecotourism, vastly enhancing revenue for the Dept., JICA-supported forestry with SHG-based interventions, and low-cost ecological restoration of dumping yards and ecotone areas, alongwith creation of a Wood Museum.

At Paonta Sahib, drafted the first Working Plan in over three decades with focus on sal and khair silviculture, and the Zonal Master Plan for the Eco-Sensitive Zone of Col. Sherjung National Park. Worked on human–elephant conflict management including implementation of Project Elephant in Himachal Pradesh, alongside eco-restoration initiatives (including customised Miyawaki around a waste-treatment plant recognized by NGT) and strengthened enforcement against illegal mining and cross-border timber smuggling.

Thereafter, served as Assistant Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife) in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Delhi, with exposure to launch of national wildlife programmes and policy coordination with states and scientific institutions for implementation of India's flagship wildlife initiatives.

Awarded the Chief Minister's 'Aranya Gaurav Puraskar' as Best DFO for two consecutive years in 2021 & 2022, HP . Also awarded the National Level 'Nexus of Good' Award in Governance category in 2024 for 'Eco-Restoration initiatives for 8 projects in Himachal Pradesh'.