Voices for Asian Elephants

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Voices for Asian Elephants

VFAE connects humans and Asian elephants through awareness and education. Please visit our website for more information about Sangita.

In service to the Asian elephants and planet earth Voice for Asian Elephants Society bridges the gap between humans and Asian elephants and empowers shifts in perceptions in creating peaceful co-existence with each other and the elephants. We share knowledge, scientific inquiries, and deeper insights gathered from ancient wisdom and personal experiences with elephants through evocative writings, s

peaking engagements, and wilderness/ elephant experiences that nurture awe, empathy, and respect for all sentient beings, and gratitude for the abundance of gifts that the natural world continues to bestow upon humankind. Our first project is "Gods in Shackles" documentary that exposes the dark side of Kerala's glamorous cultural festivities and rituals that exploit captive elephants for profit under the guise of culture and religion, revealing the abhorrent torture these supremely gentle and intelligent animals suffer. One of the main intentions in producing this film is to create a deeper understanding of the behavior and social organization of Asian elephants, as well as their inherent abilities to feel and communicate. Using this film we aim to engage and educate key stakeholders, and equip the owners and handlers with positive reinforcement strategies that promote empathy and alleviate the pain and suffering of Kerala's captive elephants. Gods in Shackles is a feature length documentary film in the making, an exposè revealing the sordid secrets lurking beneath the glitz and glamour of Kerala's captive elephants used in festivities, and the exploitation of these supremely gentle and intelligent beings in the name of culture and religion. In this film, Sangita Iyer will take you through her personal journey that began in December 2013, when she traveled to her birthplace in Kerala, Southern India, and reconnected with her soul animals – these gentle giants. Her plan was to meet with world-renowned elephant scientists and gather research material for The Huffington Post. But after 10 days of witnessing festivities and temple rituals using male elephants inflicted with massive tumors, deep wounds, ripped ears, and even blindness, she knew that these animals needed help. Sangita Iyer is an award-winning documentary film maker and has won numerous academic accolades. http://voiceforasianelephants.com/about-the-matriarch/

06/07/2026

💔 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗠. 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗𝗡'𝗧 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬. 🐘

Ten years ago, our Founder, Sangita Iyer returned to Kerala after the loss of her father. It was supposed to be a time of reflection. A chance to reconnect with home, family, and memories. Instead, she witnessed something that would change the course of her life forever.

She wasn't searching for a story. She wasn't planning a documentary. She certainly had no idea that a simple camcorder and a few days of filming would lead to a global movement, a United Nations nomination, and a decade-long fight to expose one of the darkest secrets hidden behind celebration and spectacle.

Some experiences leave a mark on your heart. Some truths refuse to let you sleep. And once you've seen them, you can never unsee them. This is where the story of Gods in Shackles begins.

🎥 This entire month we commemorate the 10th anniversary of this multi-award-winning documentary. Hear directly from producer and director Sangita Iyer as she shares how an unexpected journey home became a mission to expose suffering, challenge tradition, and fight for elephants.

Please watch and share. Because the more people who know the truth, the harder it becomes to ignore. 🐘💔

06/05/2026

🌍🔥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦, 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗦, 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘. 🔥🌍

Raging wildfires, extreme heat waves, dying forests, shrinking habitats… The climate crisis is no longer distant. It is unfolding before our eyes. ⚠️

Fragmented elephant habitats across India are pushing wildlife and people into conflict, making rewilding and habitat restoration critical for biodiversity, climate resilience, water security, and the future of our planet. This , we are choosing restoration. 🌿

𝗪𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹 — 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. 🌱🐘💚

At Voices for Asian Elephants, we are pledging to plant 10,000 additional native, elephant-friendly fruit-bearing saplings in a 15-acre plot of farmland, a critical elephant habitat — collaborating with Paribartan (our local partner), and the tribal people helping restore degraded forests. This will reconnect wildlife corridors, support biodiversity, and create healthier ecosystems for generations to come. 🌳🐘🌏

Every sapling planted is a step toward healing the Earth, every restored forest is a lifeline for wildlife, and every donation becomes part of something far bigger than ourselves. 💚

This World Environment Day, please consider supporting this urgent rewilding mission:

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/securing-rewilding-corridors-for-odisha-elephants/

🐘🌿💚

06/03/2026

🔥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🔥

Every year, human induced fires consume India’s forests, devastating wildlife, destroying fragile ecosystems, accelerating climate change, and threatening the health and livelihoods of vulnerable communities. In Odisha alone, more than 94,000 hectares of forest have been affected by wildfires over the past decade, many linked to survival-driven practices like Mahua flower collection.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬?

At Voices for Asian Elephants, we are preparing to launch an innovative community-driven campaign that will protect forests, elephants, biodiversity, climate resilience, and human health — together. This initiative will focus squarely on fire prevention, ecological restoration, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental education in remote forest communities.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞. 🌍🐘🔥

Meanwhile, if you can, please consider donating to our rewilding project:

https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/securing-rewilding-corridors-for-odisha-elephants/

06/02/2026

💔𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎, 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐘 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 🐘

What began as a deeply personal trip home to Kerala after the loss of her father... became the beginning of a painful awakening that could never be unseen.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

Behind the dazzling festivals, deafening drums, and grand processions stood a reality too heartbreaking to comprehend—gentle elephants suffering silently in chains while crowds celebrated around them. And once those images were captured on camera... there was no turning back. 🎥

This June, we commemorate 10 years since the making of Gods in Shackles—the United Nations nominated and multi-award-winning documentary that exposed the brutal exploitation of elephants used for profit in the name of culture and religion. Over the coming weeks, we’ll take you behind the scenes of where it all began—the grief, the shock, the impossible decisions, the leap of faith, and the untold stories that changed one woman’s life forever.

🎥 Watch this powerful message from the producer and director of Gods in Shackles, our Founder, Sangita Iyer—and please share it across every social media platform to help expose the hidden atrocities elephants continue to endure behind the spectacle of culture, profit, and entertainment. 🐘💔

Every Tuesday, you will hear directly from our Founder, Sangita Iyer herself. And every Sunday, we’ll share the heartbreaking stories of elephants whose suffering the world was never meant to see.

Some journeys choose you. And sometimes, a single camera can become the most powerful tool, the beginning of a global movement. 💚

🐘💔🕊️💚🌍

06/01/2026

💚𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗨𝗥𝗘 🐘

Fyodor Dostoyevsky once reflected on the innocence, joy, and inner life animals carry so naturally within them. And perhaps that is why being around animals can feel so grounding—they remind us of a gentler way of existing in the world.

Just spend a few moments watching elephants. The way they comfort one another. Protect their babies.

Mourn their dead. Play in the slush and water. Stand quietly beneath trees, as though reflecting on something profound. There is wisdom in that kind of presence. A softness humanity desperately needs more of.

Yet these deeply emotional beings are losing their forests, their families, and their freedom because of human greed, indifference, and exploitation. So maybe this Monday is a reminder not just to admire animals—but to stand up for them.

✨ Support ethical conservation
✨ Speak out against cruelty
✨ Teach compassion to the next generation
✨ And make choices that help protect the natural world

Because when we protect animals, we protect the very heart of what makes us human. 💚🐘

🐘💚

05/31/2026

💚 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬 💚

What begins with heartbreak can become purpose. What begins with witnessing suffering can become a movement for change.

We are deeply honored to collaborate with Weeping Elephant Project, a compassionate organization shining a light on the plight of captive elephants in the United States while amplifying the voices of those working tirelessly to protect them.

Recently, our Founder, Sangita Iyer, was featured on their powerful podcast, now airing on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. One line especially stayed with us:

“𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵…”

And sometimes, truth is powerful enough to shake the world awake.

This conversation dives deep into the hidden suffering of temple elephants in India, the personal cost of speaking out, and the urgent need to rethink our relationship with animals. But it is also a story of hope—of building solutions rooted in compassion.

From robotic elephants replacing live elephants in festivals to securing corridor lands that help keep wild elephants free and safe in their natural habitats... this work is driven by one belief.

✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. One person willing to speak the truth can inspire countless others to rise with courage and compassion. 💚

🎧 Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Pvbxu2

🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4eRJnnp

▶️ YouTube: https://bit.ly/4uOGbNR

05/29/2026

⚠️ 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗜𝗡

He keeps pulling at his chains, trying to break free… but over and over again. Like something inside him still remembers what freedom feels like.

The heat is relentless. The space is confined. And every movement feels like survival, not choice. So, he frantically splashes filthy gutter water over himself, trying to cool down in a place that offers no real relief.

A body made for forests, rivers, and endless distance is now forced to find comfort in what runs past him in drains.

And then—again—he pulls—instinctually. Not for attention. Not for drama. Just something inside that still remembers there is supposed to be more than this.

𝗔 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱.

Watch this. And if it stays with you, don’t let it end here—share it. Because awareness is where change begins.

This segment is from the short film Prisoners for Life, part of the 26 short film series Asian Elephants 101, produced and directed by our founder, Sangita Iyer.

05/27/2026

𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚... 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘, 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 💚🌱🐘

In a world filled with so much heartbreaking news for wildlife, moments like this remind us why we keep going.

Earlier this month, our team revisited the Rayadihi and Godapada waterholes—and despite lower rainfall and intense summer heat, the waterholes are still holding strong. Clean. Functioning. Sustaining life. And surrounding them? Signs of hope everywhere.

Guava, bamboo, and jamun saplings are thriving with vibrant green growth across the plantation sites—quiet proof that restoration is possible when people come together with compassion and commitment.

Yes, the harsh summer conditions are slowing the growth of some young mango saplings in Susab. But nature teaches us resilience. Even in difficult conditions, life continues reaching toward the light.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱.

These are lifelines—for elephants, biodiversity, and the communities who share these landscapes.

And none of this happens alone. To every single person who donated—whether your contribution was large or small—please know that you are part of this growing forest of hope. 🌱

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁.
𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻.
𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

This work is ongoing, and to keep this momentum alive for elephants and forests alike, we humbly ask for your continued support:

🔗 https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/securing-rewilding-corridors-for-odisha-elephants/

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀... 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 💚 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀... 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 🐘

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Website

http://www.vfaes.org/, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ethology/articles/10.3389/fetho.2025.1693306/full

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