sancharisid
My name is Sanchari Sidhardh, and most people know me as Sancharisid. I am a professional wildlife photographer, a podcast host, a wedding filmmaker and a public servant from Andhra Pradesh. Each of these roles looks different from the outside, but they all come from one place: a deep love for nature and for people, and a belief that a single honest story can change the way someone sees the world.
Where it began
My journey as a photographer began with weddings. While covering weddings, I discovered a growing interest in wildlife, and in 2015 I began photographing animals in the wild. What started as curiosity quickly became a way of life.
Every summer I travel on three wildlife expeditions, most often to Kanha National Park, Nagarhole National Park and Sariska National Park, where the wildlife is rich and truly wild. I travel with our nine-member wildlife team, and every journey is a team effort, from planning and tracking to the final frame.
Wildlife photography taught me patience. An animal does not pose for you. You have to understand its behaviour, respect its space and wait, sometimes for days, for one honest frame. Those hours in the forest shaped not only my photography but also the person I am today.
Trained at the National Institute of Photography
To turn passion into profession, I studied at the National Institute of Photography (NIP), Mumbai, and earned my professional photography certification there. NIP gave me a strong technical foundation in light, composition, exposure, lenses and post-processing, and introduced me to the discipline of cinematography.
That training is what allows me to work confidently in very different situations: a leopard in low forest light, a fast-moving wedding ritual, or a podcast studio with multiple cameras. Today I work as a certified, professional wildlife photographer, and I bring the same technical care to every project I take on.
Why plastic became my fight
The more time I spent in forests, the more I saw something that should never be there: plastic. Bags and bottles on safari tracks, wrappers near water holes, waste washed into rivers and lakes. Animals eat it, get trapped in it and die from it. Plastic does not disappear; it breaks into smaller pieces and enters the soil, the water and finally our own food.
I realised that beautiful photographs alone were not enough. If I truly love wildlife, I also have to speak up for it. That is how the Plastic-Free Campaign became a central part of my life.
What I do against plastic
- Instagram reels: I regularly create reels on plastic usage, how it harms animals and nature, and the simple changes anyone can make: carry a cloth bag, refuse single-use plastic, reuse bottles.
- Every podcast guest: on the Sancharisid Podcast I ask every guest, whether an officer, an achiever or a common citizen, to avoid plastic and to spread the same message to the people around them.
- Awareness sessions: I conduct campaigns, meetings and talks in schools, colleges and communities on wildlife conservation, the relationship between humans and animals, and the damage plastic causes in nature.
- Through my photographs: I use my wildlife work to show people what is at stake, so that the message is not just heard but felt.
"Man-made mistakes are slowly destroying our world. My camera is how I make people stop, look and change."
Vishwa Guru Awards 2024
In 2024, this work was recognised at the Vishwa Guru Awards, where I received the Outstanding Best Wildlife Photographer award. The jury recognised my service in showing how man-made mistakes are destroying the world: photographs that capture the emotional bond between animals and plants, and awareness work that shows how animals are dying because of plastic.
This award is not only about photography. It is a recognition of a message, and it has made me even more committed to carrying that message further.
A public servant at heart
Since 2019, I have served as a public servant in the Panchayati Raj Department. Working closely with people at the ground level has shown me the real challenges families face every day. It keeps me grounded, and it is where many of my awareness ideas and podcast topics are born.
The Sancharisid Podcast
In 2026 I started the Sancharisid Podcast to bring real conversations to more people. We invite only inspiring people, and every Friday at 6 PM a new episode goes live on YouTube on topics such as elections, health, culture, inspiring journeys and social responsibility. The podcast is made by a dedicated team of ten: producers Shyamala Devi and Rajashekar Reddy, three camera operators, two editors, two script writers and me as host. Every episode carries the same request at the end: say no to plastic.
Weddings, with the same care
Weddings were my first love in photography, and I still photograph and film them across Eluru, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Jangareddygudem. The patience I learned in the forest helps me catch the real moments at a wedding: a glance, a tear, a laugh no one planned. I create candid photographs and cinematic wedding films that families can treasure for generations.
What drives me
My vision is simple: to use photography, media and social platforms as powerful tools to connect people with nature, inspire responsibility, and create a better and more aware society. If one photograph, one episode or one conversation makes someone refuse a plastic bag or look at a forest differently, my work has done its job.
