Malaika Vaz

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Malaika Vaz
Malaika Vaz at SXSW 2025 04 (cropped).jpg
Vaz in 2025, at SXSW
Born (1997-04-13) 13 April 1997 (age 28)
Saligao, Goa, India
Alma mater United World Colleges
Occupations

Malaika Vaz (born 13 April 1997) is an Indian National Geographic explorer, television presenter, and wildlife filmmaker. She is the youngest person to reach the Arctic and the Antarctic, with the Students on Ice foundation. [1] [2]

Contents

In 2018, she presented the TV series On The Brink [3] for Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, that follows her journey exploring the many endangered species across India together with the stories of researchers and scientists involved in protecting them. She is currently working on an investigative documentary on the illegal trafficking of Manta Rays across Southeast Asia. As a National Geographic Explorer Malaika produced and presented a 3 part series on human-wildlife coexistence titled Living With Predators. [4] [5] She is also an environmental activist.

Early and personal life

Malaika Vaz was born to Marusha Vaz and Mac Vaz, and has two younger brothers, Mikhail and Marc. [6] As a windsurfer, sailor and Professional Association of Diving Instructors Divemaster, she has developed a strong connection to the ocean and has witnessed the effects of unsustainable tourism on the Marine ecosystem. [7]

This inspired her to campaign for ecological protection and work towards conserving India's natural resources through initiatives such as the Leave No Trace campaign, [8] that reduced plastic waste drastically at Asia's largest music festival Sunburn held at Candolim, Goa, India.

More recently, Vaz became a naturalized Portuguese citizen having received her Portuguese passport.

Education

Malaika was educated at Sharada Mandir School in Goa, and then represented India, along with students from 92 other countries, at UWC Mahindra College.

Social work

Through her non-profit organization Kriyā (meaning "deed" or "action" in Sanskrit), Malaika works to empower women; victims of sexual violence and disadvantaged teenage girls through adventure sport and outdoor education. [9] [10] [11]

Under Malaika's guidance, the Kriyā Ambassadors summited Stok Kangri and Lungser Kangri in the Indian Himalayas to raise money for the Sherpa communities in the Khumbu Valley who were devastated by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. [12]

Filmography

YearTitleCreditGenreEpisodesNetworkComments
2022Mission: Sustainable Health [13] PresenterHealth Documentary2 [14] [15] Bupa
2018On The BrinkPresenterTV series Discovery Channel, Animal Planet
2016 Waghoba: Provider, Destroyer, Deity [16] Director / PresenterWildlife Documentary
2009Spotlight with MalaikaPresenterTV seriesHerald Channel Network

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Francis, Anisha (April 18, 2014). "Goan teen to train women to scale high peaks". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  2. ↑ Lal, Preeti Verma (2012-09-24). "Riding the crest". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2022-09-09.
  3. ↑ "Literally on the brink". The Hindu. 2018-08-20. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  4. ↑ "Malaika Vaz". Jackson Wild: Nature. Media. Impact. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  5. ↑ Narrain, Aparna (2019-10-25). "Wildlife filmmaker Malaika Vaz on endangered species, Greta Thunberg and more". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  6. ↑ "Findall Goa". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  7. ↑ Lal, Preeti Verma (2012-09-24). "Riding the crest". The Hindu.
  8. ↑ "Woodland launches 'Leave No Trace' initiative". Retail View. 2012-12-30. Archived from the original on 2017-01-11.
  9. ↑ "Goan teen to train women to scale high peaks - The Times of India". The Times of India. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  10. ↑ "Scaling heights to better lives". The Navhind Times . 5 May 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  11. ↑ UWCMC Blog. "UWCMC Blog | Kriyā for Nepal: Climbing for Earthquake Relief". uwcmahindracollege.org. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  12. ↑ "Nepal Earthquake: Students to Climb High Peaks to Contribute for Survivors".
  13. ↑ "Bupa - Sustainability strategy".
  14. ↑ "Mission: Sustainable Health Episode 1 - Mission Zero". YouTube . 14 December 2022.
  15. ↑ "Mission: Sustainable Health Episode 2 - Mission Accelerate". YouTube . 27 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Waghoba | Provider Destroyer Deity | Felis Creations".
  17. ↑ "A seafaring ray of hope". Deccan Chronicle. 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  18. ↑ "CONQUERER OF THE BIG WIDE WORLD". oHeraldo. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
  19. ↑ "Malaika Vaz bags National Geographic talent grant | Goa News - Times of India". The Times of India . 29 October 2016.
  20. ↑ http://ambassadors.woodlandworldwide.com/ambassadors-photogallery/malaika-vaz-72.html%5B%5D
  21. ↑ "Brand journey from footwear to outdoor gear – Customer Click". customerclick.in. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  22. ↑ "Goa teen is 'friend' of Swiss knife company - The Times of India". The Times of India. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
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