Arati Kumar-Rao is an independent photographer, writer, and National Geographic Explorer in South Asia. She documents environmental degradation, focusing on groundwater depletion, habitat destruction, and industrial land acquisition that threaten biodiversity and displace millions. Named one of BBC’s 100 Influential and Inspiring Women in 2023, her debut book, Marginlands: India’s Landscapes on the Brink, won the Publishing Next Book of the Year Award in 2024. Her work has appeared in National Geographic Magazine, Emergence Magazine, BBC World Service, and major Indian newspapers.