Ashoka Climate Change and Environmental Studies Society (ACCESS)

Connect with ACCESS~ evs.soc@ashoka.edu.in | Instagram

Introduction~ Ashoka Climate Change and Environmental Studies Society (ACCESS) is a student-run Environmental Studies (ES) academic society. The society was created with the aim of broadening students’ and stakeholders’ engagement with environmental issues both academically and non-academically. Additionally, climate and environmental change are of personal and academic interest to many in the university. ACCESS is a space for people interested in furthering their understanding of the environment as interdisciplinary and intersectional through discussions, academic readings and talks, ground research, practical understanding, conversations and more both in the classroom and beyond.

Aims~ Our aim is to interrogate and broaden the disciplinary boundaries of Environmental Studies, creating a welcoming space where students from any field can engage with environmental questions beyond the classroom. We want to make it easy for learners who do not intend to pursue Environmental Studies as a career to discover meaningful connections between the environment and their own interests, while also encouraging critical reflection on the hierarchies and assumptions that shape how we study and talk about the environment and to learn and unlearn together. Through co-learning and collaborative research, by curating career pathways and resources, and by hosting practitioners and students to share their experiences, we will spark conversation, collective action, and deeper environmental consciousness via talks, screenings, discussions and other events.

Values~ ACCESS is a welcoming, respectful space where every member’s voice and work are valued. We commit to inclusion and equal opportunity in leadership, responsibilities, and idea-sharing, and oppose discrimination on the basis of class, caste, religion, gender, sexuality or any other identity. Credit and accountability matter: contributions will be acknowledged and work treated transparently. ACCESS is a learning community, you don’t need prior environmental expertise to join, and we encourage curiosity, honesty and creative freedom so members can experiment, grow and collaborate. We stay attentive to power dynamics and divisions of labour both within the society and in the wider world, and actively work to redress imbalances so quieter voices have space to be heard. Finally, our commitment to the environment is inseparable from a commitment to social justice: we centre ecological stewardship, evidence-led practice, and collective action that recognises the interdependence of people and planet.

Events & Activities~

Aravali Biodiversity Park Nature Walk:

On Saturday, 12 April 2025, the Ashoka Climate Society and the Environmental Studies Department hosted a nature walk at Aravalli Biodiversity Park that attracted more than twenty students from across the University’s academic disciplines and drew interest from fifty plus students. The event began at dawn with a welcome address by Vijay Dhasmana, whose firsthand account of the park’s transformation from a former mining site into a flourishing urban forest set an inspiring tone.

Following an introductory talk on the park’s restoration efforts, participants gathered under the shade of native trees for an open discussion. Students shared field observations, posed questions about habitat management, and explored practical steps for supporting local green spaces. The dialogue highlighted the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing environmental challenges.

The guided trail walk that followed took attendees along winding paths, where they observed wild orchids, noted diverse bird species, and witnessed the park’s rich biodiversity in action. Informal exchanges along the route fostered camaraderie and deepened participants’ connection to the landscape. By late morning, the group returned to campus equipped with fresh insights, photographs, and a renewed commitment to conservation, underscoring the EVS Department’s mission to blend academic learning with hands-on environmental engagement.

Panel Discussion 2025: