Padmavati currently works as an independent consultant advising non-profits and other institutions working on social and environmental issues besides playing her role as a Co-Founder of a responsible tourism venture called Platypus Escapes Private Limited based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Through the firm, the team provides a group of tours for scuba diving, certifications, and sightseeing to the Andaman Islands as they are trying to establish a dive center in Visakhapatnam. The team earned a name for creating awareness about ocean plastic pollution through its underwater cleanups in Visakhapatnam.
More than 20000 kilograms of waste were removed in more than 60 days of cleanups with 5-10 volunteers regularly, and the extent of the waste present is much more inside the sea. It led to local, national, and international media covering their work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about this initiative in his popular radio program “Mann ki Baat” in Nov 2019. Since then, the team has appeared in BBC Telugu, BBC English, History TV 18, Eenadu, etc. The print media also covered this story widely.
Now the team is caught in sustenance and establishment of business and hence waiting for the right opportunity to do more about the issue of plastic pollution underwater. The aim is to have a self-sustaining business that funds the initiative through the profits earned from the tourism activities and, at the same time, uses tourism as a mode to create responsible citizens.
Twitter: @madamtraveller (rarely used)
Instagram: @i_madame_traveller (maximum used)
Official Instagram: @platypusescapes
Blogs: https://www.tripoto.com/profile/padmamadipalli
FB: padma madipalli (rarely used)
LinkedIn ID:https://www.linkedin.com/in/padmavatimadipalli/
Q) How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
A) As an individual, I can be referred to as a ‘crazy’ kind because I always listened to my heart and took a lot of risks to discover my passion. I have failed a lot yet stood up again every time. I have worked with various reputed organizations in the development sector for over a decade which has shaped me as an individual.
After passing out from IIFM, I started working with Sambodhi Research and Communications in Delhi in 2011. The fact that it was started by four IIFMights was amazing. In 2013, I joined another organization in Delhi called NRMC belonging to an IIFMight Jayesh Bhatia. NRMC is now merged with Intellecap (an advisory arm of Aavishkar Group, founded by Vineet Rai, another IIFMight). Parallelly, I co-founded The Folk Tales with a friend, it would offer Rural and Responsible Travel Packages in India. Unfortunately, I could not continue as I had to move far away from Delhi.
During the same period, I went on a vacation to the Andaman Islands with my friends, where I met my husband, a scuba diving instructor, during my first dive. (Yes, somewhat like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ?). I moved to the Andaman Islands in 2014 after marriage and worked with a group of eco-resorts: Emerald Gecko and The Flying Elephant in Havelock Island. It was the most satisfying experience but unfortunately didn’t pay my bills!
I started looking for jobs and got placed in the Ministry of Labor and Employment as a Young Professional from 2015-18 posted in Port Blair initially and later in Tirupati. During 2018-19, I joined the Vijayavahini Charitable Foundation (an initiative of Tata Trusts) in Vijayawada. Finally, I worked with Technoserve which was my last full-time job with my last day of work being 31st Dec 2019.
Since 1’st January 2020, I have been focusing on my startup Platypus Escapes. Due to an unavoidable entry barrier, local-level politics, and bureaucracy, the startup is still in the struggling phase, and with the covid-19 restrictions, we had a huge setback. Now we are slowly resuming our work again and hope for better times ahead. That is the reason I continue to work as an independent consultant to pay the bills! Though challenging, I find this journey very satisfying. Initially, we must play all the roles ourselves, and that is a great learning experience. We must work for ourselves and answer to ourselves, which makes us more efficient.
Q) What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A) Key milestones: All the jobs I transitioned into were the key milestones as they shaped me into a better professional. Recently, working on raising awareness about marine pollution through various underwater cleanups gave recognition to our team in Visakhapatnam. The day our Prime Minister spoke about our initiative in his program “Mann ki Baat” was a major milestone for our team.
Key learning: The most important learning has been to keep learning always! I always entered different roles and kept learning new skills which were required to work in those roles. Keeping our minds open to new ideas and opportunities always helps.
Q) What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
A) My current role is challenging yet satisfying to the core. Being an entrepreneur in a Covid-19 era has thrown major setbacks, and yet this journey has made me evolve as a person. I have learned to juggle between my consulting assignments and work with the challenges of my startup. Each day is amazing, and the best part is I get to work according to my timings and have flexibility in life. The amazing part of being in the tourism sector is that we meet people from quite diverse backgrounds and it again broadens our knowledge of the world around us.
Q) Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A) Yes, IIFM has helped in many ways. I don’t remember much of what I learned in classrooms, but otherwise, it shaped my personality and gave me a good launchpad into the job market in the development sector.
Q) Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers. What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles?
A) The biggest driver in my career has been the recognition of the potential that the responsible tourism sector can contribute to people and the planet. I would like to learn, grow, contribute my skills in this sector which sadly I got into quite late. However, every opportunity you get is a learning opportunity and I appreciate what I got to experience through my past roles.
My advice to freshers is that you may be a topper or average student in class but in a job your attitude matters! I wasn’t good in the classroom but was the first one to get placed (to my surprise and everyone in my batch!). Once I entered jobs, I did quite well. So, hone your skills, confidence, and work on your weaknesses while you are in IIFM.
Q) What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A) The parties, the events, the midnight walks, the mess, the classroom, the field visits, roaming around Bhopal were my favorite moments. I love the campus and miss it the most.
Q) In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, and alumni. Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A) IIFM has a good combination of courses, faculties, and alumni. It isn’t one single factor but a combination of those that are the major contributing factor. In the development sector, IIFM is a reputed name, and that increases the job prospects for us.
Q) The best friends/seniors/faculty at IIFM? Some memorable tidbits that you like to share.
A) Siddharth, Aakash, Imran, Achal were some of my friends at IIFM. In seniors, Priyanka Batra, Soumya Singhal, Swati have been quite helpful, but overall, all seniors have been amazing. In the faculty, my favorites are Prof. Chinmaya Singh Rathore Sir and Prof. Khare Sir.
Q) As an alumnus, what is your advice to freshers or those who are joining IIFM to get the best out of the 2 years there?
A) Work on your skills during this time apart from what is taught in classrooms. For instance, if you think you lack confidence during interviews, build that during this time, I would request others to help those who need such support. IIFM as a community should uplift one another. At the same time, enjoy each moment there as you will cherish those memories for the rest of your life.
Q) What is your typical day at the office? (We want to know what your day job looks like)
A) Each day is different for me as I don’t have a typical office. I choose my office hours and work. Pre Covid-19 times, it started with going to Rushikonda beach early in the morning to conduct underwater cleanups in the shallow sea till we got tired. Then coming back home, freshening up, and then going about our tasks for the day.
My day is mostly spent on a variety of things like writing proposals, doing research, networking, answering queries, marketing, ideation, preparing documentation, website, social media content, liaison with government departments, and anything that the enterprise requires.
I also started organizing tours to the Andaman Islands, so now my time goes into preparing itineraries, partnerships, bookings, etc.
It’s learning each day with a new set of challenges. From time to time, I get some assignments as a consultant, and I go about doing those, and I am getting exciting projects in this space too. This work will include field visits followed by documentation.
Q) And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family, and anything else you want to add
A) As an entrepreneur, that too in the tourism sector, weekends are the busiest for us. So, weekdays are the weekends for us especially, Monday! After a hectic weekend, we would always rest on Mondays and start working on other things from Tuesday.
My hobbies are traveling, photography, writing blogs, open sea swimming, painting, and learning new things.
Q) Favorite Books, movies, authors.
A) I don’t have a favorite book as such. I read a variety of books that includes fiction and non-fiction. During my younger days, Ayn Rand’s books inspired me a lot. I liked Rashmi Bansal’s “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish“.
Favorite movies:
Hindi: Taaren Zameen Par, Queen, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Ye Jawani Hai Deewani
English: Sully, Terminal; Animated movies: Up, Kung Fu Panda, Ratatouille
Q) IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A) I am not sure how I can contribute now, but I would like to explore collaborations in the responsible tourism space with the IIFM community. For any other guidance, one can reach out to me directly.
Q) What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? What do you think is a positive change and what is not?
A) Honestly, I am not aware of how it is now at IIFM. So, can’t answer this question.
Q) Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A) If not profiled already, here are my suggestions:
- Ramnarayan K,
- Devanshu Chakravarti,
- Pragnanand, Ravichandran (IFS), Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Sailesh Nagar (NRMC/Intellecap),
- Akanksha Tiwari