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Nirupa Rao is a Botanical Illustrator and a National Geographic Explorer from Bangalore, India.
In beautiful and precise detail, Nirupa uses watercolor illustrations to record and celebrate the unique flora of India. As a National Geographic Explorer grantee, Nirupa just published a children’s book called “Hidden Kingdom—Fantastical Plants of the Western Ghats” that will help young readers explore the wonderful world of plants.
In 2019, Nirupa participated in a Plant Humanities program at Harvard University’s Dumbarton Oaks Research Centre. She has also been named an INK Fellow and one to ‘watch out for’ in Forbes India’s annual 30 Under 30 issue.
In this conversation, Nirupa and discuss how she found this unique niche of illustrating plants, what her creative process looks like from going into the rainforest to getting back to her studio, and why children’s books are such a powerful tool for reclaiming cultural identity.
Hear Nirupa Rao on the post show!
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Notes from the show:
The National Geographic photographer that we refer to in the show as an inspiration for both of us is Evgenia Arbugaeva.