Maliku Development Society Minicoy

Vineeta Hoon

Cultural Geographer | Coral Reef Specialist | Advocate for Indigenous Knowledge

Dr. Vineeta Hoon is a distinguished cultural geographer whose work bridges indigenous knowledge systems, environmental conservation, and community-based livelihoods. With a Ph.D. in Cultural Geography, her research focuses on traditional lifestyles and sustainable ecological practices among remote and indigenous communities across diverse ecological regions.

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A recipient of the Asia Pacific Post-Doctoral Fellowship from the East-West Center, the Freda Bage Fellowship of the Australian Federation of University Women, and a Research Fellowship from the Research Council of Norway, Dr. Hoon has devoted her career to understanding how traditional knowledge contributes to sustainable resource management.

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Her immersive research has taken her to live among the Trans-Himalayan nomads, the islanders of Lakshadweep, and the Sámi reindeer herders of the Arctic. She is the author of Living on the Move: The Bhotiyas of the Kumaon Himalayas (Sage, 1996), a landmark ethnographic work on nomadic pastoralism.

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Dr. Hoon is the Founder Trustee of the Centre for Action Research on Environment Science and Society (CARESS), established to counter the rapid erosion of cultural and natural biodiversity. CARESS promotes revival of traditional values among island and mountain communities through awareness-building and integration of conservation with sustainable livelihoods.

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A key figure in coral reef initiatives in South Asia since 1997, she has served as consultant to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), CORDIO, ICRAN, and International Union for Conservation of Nature. She is the lead author of the SOCMON South Asia guidelines and Regional Coordinator for SOCMON South Asia. She is the SEACOLOGY field representative for India and Bangladesh.

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Associated with Minicoy since 1989, Dr. Hoon initially researched women’s livelihoods on the island and has more recently assisted in cataloguing the Maliku Museum’s collections—continuing her lifelong commitment to safeguarding both cultural heritage and marine ecosystems.