Ajay Sawant (he/him)

How are you using education to build more sustainable and equitable communities? Tell us about your EE work and impact.

I use education in work to build sustainable and resilient communities by engaging people of all ages with environmental issues and empowering them to take action. As a student, I understand the gap between school and the workplace and the need for mentorship. Therefore, I am bridging this gap for youth by guiding them in entrepreneurial and non-profit projects that address environmental issues, through capacity-building and mentorship.

By adopting a human-centric design-thinking approach, I create engaging ocean facts literature and organize interactive programs to highlight the ocean's role in climate action. I have collaborated with several schools on artivism projects, such as cross-dam and intergenerational ocean-art exchanges to make environmental learning both engaging and impactful.

As the President of ThinkOcean Society, I lead the Decade of Toolkits initiative, which aims to create educational resources on marine topics, making information accessible to educators and students. Additionally, in my role as Communications Manager at Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs, I advance the artivism movement, bringing people closer to the environment through storytelling and conveying the urgency of environmental issues through art.

I am also engaged in several ocean literacy programs especially those encompassing Marine Protected Areas through digital spaces and on-ground activities for people of all ages across the world. These literary programs have reached nearly 10,000 people alone in 2023.

In 2022, I was a part of the Youth Ocean Action Toolkit, a free resource created jointly by The Ocean Foundation and National Geographic Society for young ocean enthusiasts to learn more about ocean conservation and community action.

Currently, I serve as the High Seas Alliance Ambassador for India wherein I work towards creating awareness about BBNJ and ratification of the treaty by the Indian Government. I am also a founder of The Coral Initiative which is a work-in-progress project.

Learn more about my conservation journey here!

Tell us about your journey to where you are today. What inspired you? What has your path been like?

As a child, I found joy in exploring the wild beaches of Arabian Sea, collecting seashells, and enjoying pani-puri with my mom by the seaf near our home. Over time, my love for the ocean grew into a commitment to protect it. I began to notice more plastic waste on the beaches than shells, prompting me to take action. I shifted from collecting shells to gathering plastic, creating small fish designs from the waste. This was my introduction to artivism.

Around this time, I coincidentally came across Bow Seat, the organization where I now manage communications. I initially joined as a member of the Future Blue Youth Council program. My term on the council, under the mentorship of Linda Cabot and the entire Bow Seat team, marked my entry into the ocean conservation space. Bow Seat's alignment with artivism helped me further my work and understand the ocean-climate intersection. Following FBYC, I joined World Ocean Day as an advisory member, which was followed by my involvement in community conservation, art, and capacity-building projects.

During this entire journey, I realized, to inspire others to care for the ocean, I needed a powerful tool that could capture imaginations and touch hearts. Combining my passion for storytelling and conservation, I started art-exchange programs and workshops under The Coral Initiative. Today, I have stretched my work into creative writing, direct conservation action and literacy.

How can people learn more about or support your work?

LinkedIn and Instagram are two places you’ll always find me active. You can support my work towards ratification of High Seas agreement (BBNJ) by signing this petition: Change.org. 

A Little More About Me

What advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?

If you see something in the industry that you desperately want to change, that doesn’t mean that the field isn’t for you. It means that the field desperately needs you. Remember, even the smallest fish can make the biggest splash!

What book, film, or art piece has had the greatest impact on you?

Growing up, I was given a copy of Le Petit Prince. I didn’t read it until my late teens, but when I did, I was absolutely mesmerized. My favorite quote is, "Les hommes oublient cette vérité, dit le renard. Mais tu ne dois pas l'oublier. Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé. Tu es responsable de ta rose" (People have forgotten this truth," the fox said. "But you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose."), profoundly changed me. 

It taught me about the deep responsibility we have for the things and beings we care about. This lesson has shaped my approach to everything, driving my passion for environmental conservation and teaching me to see the hidden beauty and importance in our ocean and the world around us.

Do you prefer sunrise, sunset, midday, or midnight?

Midnight! be it for work or strolling by the beach. It's the perfect calm time!