I started my career as a software engineer after graduating from the Government College of Engineering, Kannur. My interest in social sciences prompted me to leave my engineering career to obtain a graduate degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. After graduation, I worked with Bangalore-based digital justice organization IT for Change on a community data project. Later, I joined Dakshin Foundation and worked with fishing communities in Ganjam, Odisha to explore ways of strengthening their claims over coastal and marine commons.
In 2022, I joined Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), a Delhi-based digital justice organization, as an assistant manager. My responsibilities at DEF included writing grant proposals, donor engagement and extending research support to ongoing projects. While at DEF, I also designed projects on misinformation & disinformation and data protection & privacy.
Over the years, I have become increasingly interested in research and advocacy on commons – be it digital, forest or coastal. Currently, I am working as an independent consultant (Research & fundraising).
Publications:
- Venugopal, V., Das, B. S., and Sridhar, A. (2024). Recentering the commons: assessing citizen mapping as an environmental practice. Maritime Studies, 23(2), 16.
- Venugopal, V. (2023). Aadhaar Card Please…A perception survey on Aadhaar-related services. Digital Empowerment Foundation.
- Venugopal, V., and Jenny, S. (2023). Taking a stand against manipulation and violence. In Worthington, J.(Ed.). Managing the misinformation effect: the state of fact-checking in Asia. International Federation of Journalists.
- Venugopal,V., Das, B.S., Namboothri, N., and Sridhar, A. (2021). Commoning Coastal Odisha. Dakshin Foundation, Bengaluru. 35 pages.
- James, S., Sinha, N., Sridhar, A and Venugopal,V. (2021). Challenging the violence of development: Unpacking the protests against the draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation, 2021. Bar and Bench.
- Venugopal, V. (2020). Commoning Practices – Towards becoming ‘in common. Dakshin Foundation.
- Venugopal, V. (2020). The role of LEK in governing the commons – an overview. Dakshin Foundation.
- Venugopal, V. (2020). The Shore Scene: The Heavy Toll of COVID-19 on India’s Fishers. The Bastion.
- Jojan, A. and Venugopal, V. (2019). Biodiversity Act : Draft ABS Guidelines Helps Businesses By Diluting Sharing Of Benefits With Local Communities. Live Law.