Independent · Research-led · Community-rooted

Documenting India's Living Cultures

Native Circle is an independent platform where culture, community, and lived experience shape the stories we tell.

200+

Stories

10K+

Monthly Readers

30+

Field Immersions

Who We Are

About Us

Native Circle - Documentary style image of people walking through rural Indian landscape, engaged in cultural research, storytelling, and heritage documentation

Vision

Our Vision

To unearth the authentic knowledge, wisdom, and lived traditions of India, derive enduring insights from them, and translate their relevance into meaningful learning, innovation, and action for contemporary society and future generations.

Mission

Our Mission

To uncover, preserve, and share authentic knowledge and lived experiences from diverse backgrounds, translating their wisdom into meaningful learning and action for present and future generations.

Impact Snapshot

Research-led Stories Documented

Across culture, ecology, livelihoods, and lived histories—grounded in fieldwork and academic inquiry.

Field Immersions & Cultural Works Curated

Designed as learning experiences connecting landscapes, memory, and community knowledge.

Participants & Readers Engaged Every Month

Through events, walks, screenings, and digital storytelling.

Knowledge Formats Preserved

Text, oral histories, video, photography, and archival documentation—capturing what is often undocumented.

Figures represent cumulative engagement across platforms, events, and collaborations.

Our Story

How We Began

Native Circle is an independent storytelling and knowledge platform rooted in culture, community, and lived experience. We work at the intersection of research, narrative, learning, and public discourse to document indigenous knowledge systems, community histories, and contemporary cultural realities, while translating their insights into meaningful learning, innovation, and pathways for a resilient and sustainable future.

Our work brings together scholars, practitioners, artists, and communities to create stories that are grounded, contextual, and relevant—without simplification or spectacle.

Founded in 2025, Native Circle began as an initiative to bridge the gap between academic research and community narratives. What started as intimate gatherings and documentation efforts has since evolved into a multidisciplinary platform engaging diverse voices across regions.

Over the year, Native Circle has grown through sustained collaborations with communities, researchers, and cultural practitioners. Our work is shaped by long-term relationships rather than one-off projects, allowing stories to emerge organically and responsibly.

Today, Native Circle stands as a space where tradition meets inquiry, and where cultural knowledge is documented not as the past, but as a living, evolving continuum.

Our Core Values

We passionately live our values, and it's visible in everything we do.

Cultural Preservation

We are committed to safeguarding indigenous cultures, traditions, and knowledge systems through respectful documentation and long-term engagement.

Unburdened Versatility

We adapt our methods and formats to fit each story and community—from research and design to events and digital narratives—without one-size-fits-all approaches.

Collective Development

We believe in growing together. Our work centres collaboration, dialogue, and shared ownership so that communities and storytellers thrive alongside the platform.

Fair & Equal Practices

We ensure equitable representation, transparent processes, and fair recognition for every voice and contributor in our ecosystem.

Meet Our Team

Our leadership team shares a vision for a vibrant, creative sector that promotes, preserves and educates to build a more connected and culturally rooted future.

Founders

Mahesh Hegde

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Mahesh Hegde founded Native Circle with the vision of creating an independent platform that documents, interprets, and amplifies stories emerging from India's cultural, ecological, scientific, and social landscapes.

Swayamprabha

Co-founder & Director, Content & Editorial Strategy

Swayamprabha leads content strategy and editorial development at Native Circle, ensuring complex ideas and narratives are translated into engaging, accessible, and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences.

Directors

Learning

Arunaa E.S.

Director, Learning & Knowledge Initiatives

Arunaa E.S. leads Learning & Knowledge Initiatives at Native Circle, designing frameworks that transform knowledge, lived experiences, and cultural narratives into meaningful learning journeys.

Partnerships

Dathesh Rao

Director, Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Development

Dathesh Rao leads strategic partnerships and ecosystem development at Native Circle, building meaningful collaborations across industry, academia, government, and civil society. With over 25 years of experience in brand leadership, strategic marketing, and business growth, he brings a unique blend of corporate, agency, and entrepreneurial perspectives to the organisation.

Technology

Vishnu M Choudhary

Director, Technology & Digital Platforms

Vishnu M Choudhary leads technology and digital platform development at Native Circle, building the systems that support storytelling, community engagement, and organisational growth.

Research

Rajaram Hegde

Director, Research & Academic Initiatives

An eminent archaeologist, scholar, and cultural historian, Rajaram Hegde guides Native Circle's research and academic initiatives.

Visual Storytelling

Shanthi Sagar H G

Head of Visual Storytelling

Shanthi Sagar is an award-winning cinematographer and filmmaker who leads Native Circle's visual storytelling initiatives. With over seven years of experience across feature films, documentaries, corporate films, digital campaigns, and television productions, he brings cinematic depth and narrative clarity to stories emerging from India's ecological and community landscapes.

Ready to connect?

Join Us On This Journey

Whether you're interested in attending an event, sharing your story, or partnering with us, we invite you to be a part of the Native Circle community.

Contribute Now Partner With Us