Research Associate Dr. Padma Ladon

Dr. Padma Ladon is a Research Associate in the Department of Geography since October 2026. With a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University and postdoctoral training from Shiv Nadar University, she specializes in high-mountain socio-ecological systems. She was awarded an ERASMUS+ scholarship in 2021 and the Baden-Württemberg Fellowship in 2025 to visit and collaborate with the Department of Geography. Her research focuses on high-mountain ecosystems and socio-ecological systems in the Trans-Himalayan region, with an emphasis on mountain pastures, integrated mountain farming systems, and human–environment interactions. She integrates field ecology, soil system analysis, and traditional ecological knowledge to examine transformations in mountain agropastoral landscapes. She possesses extensive field experience in the alpine pastures of Ladakh (3,500–4,800 m a.s.l.), focusing on vegetation dynamics, soil processes, and the institutional dimensions of community-based resource management. Her research contributes to both scientific understanding and policy dialogue regarding environmental change and resilience in the Himalayas.