Manthati Sai Kiran

Manthati Sai Kiran is a journalist from rural Telangana with training in development studies and journalism. His reporting examines climate change, water, environmental justice, public policy and rural livelihoods, with work from regions including Bastar and Malkangiri published in The Hindu Frontline, Village Square and The Migration Story. Growing up in rural Telangana shaped his understanding of water through rain-fed agriculture, seasonal migration and access to safe drinking water. The Telangana statehood movement further influenced how he sees water as a question of resources, justice and governance. Through the fellowship, Sai Kiran hopes to strengthen evidence-based reporting that connects local experiences with wider environmental and policy debates.