Imagine yourself braving sandstorms through the arid landscapes of Rajasthan or imagine your adrenaline surge while being hounded by formidable wild boars through the dense jungles of Nagaland. Feel the sense of wonder as you stumble upon a curious leopard cub while following the paw prints carved into the forest floor of Ranikhet. That’s Jyotsna Atre for you!
It is this obsession with Nature and the wild that saw her transform into a cherished author of several expressive volumes for children. Amongst them, is a delightful retelling of Tenali Rama and “The Jungle Book of Rhymes;” a much-appreciated lyrical collection on wildlife, and yet another lively book called, “The Secret of Baratang Islands,” which is the first of an exhilarating adventure in her army-brat series. Through her incredible power of storytelling, she seeks to spark the fading interaction of young readers with the natural world and acquaint them with its bewitching wonders.
Yet, her talents extend far beyond writing. Besides being a spirited crusader for reducing screen time among children by restoring their connection with Nature, she’s also a devout educationalist and a respected cyber safety consultant, with a wealth of experience in instructional design. From developing valuable school curriculum to creating dynamic content, her career has seen her take on roles as Lead Instructional Designer at Aptech Global and consultant for Cyber Sage, where she has sought to bring about substantial awareness among children concerning cyber-safety.
Seeing children tragically drifting away from the natural rhythms of life, during the Covid pandemic, is what motivated her to write her first book, “The Jungle Book of Rhymes,” scripted during the first lockdown. The book unveils the vivacious domain of rarely-seen wildlife, rendered lyrically.
In the post-pandemic world, as the threat of cybercrimes looms large, Jyotsna was determined to use her experience as a cyber-safety consultant to create “Captain Subu”, a comprehensive series of books aimed at educating children on the relevance of cyber-safety. She recently released the first set of two primers that plait together stories and interactive activities designed mainly for primary school children to help them navigate judiciously through cyberspace.
To further her efforts, she has introduced Cyber Shala, an initiative dedicated to educating and empowering a wide community that includes schools, parents, teachers, and most importantly, children. The program’s first offering is a series of comprehensive cyber safety workbooks, conceived for kids to be more mindful of online safety.And all this while, she continues to hone her writing skills, channelling her insight into hard-hitting poetry that draws attention to societal ills. Among her notable poems are “No Means No,” which addresses themes of consent, and “Kaikeyi,” a powerful piece inspired by historical narratives. Jyotsna also pens poignant haikus, with ten of her pieces now featured in the Lunar Codex – an incredible archive of contemporary art, literature, music, poetry, and film. Developed in alliance with NASA’s Artemis program, it is a curated venture, destined for the Moon, to preserve inspired phrases for generations to come.
In her own words, “Having worked in the e-learning domain for over 20 years, I have experienced the need to disengage from the digital landscape and look towards nature.” As she tenderly cares for an injured owl and observes it regain its strength, Jyotsna finds her calling in nurturing a generation that is both tech-savvy and sensitive to the wonders beyond their screens, all while being mindful of the impacts of digitalisation.
Shared By : Simran
