Malaika Vaz


Malaika Vaz is a National Geographic Explorer, TV presenter and wildlife filmmaker from Goa, India.
In 2018, she presented the TV series On The Brink for Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, that follows her journey exploring the many endangered species across India together with the stories of researchers and scientists involved in protecting them. She is currently working on an investigative documentary on the illegal trafficking of Manta Rays across Southeast Asia. As a National Geographic Explorer Malaika produced and presented a 3 part series on human-wildlife coexistence titled Living With Predators that focuses on how local communities live alongside India's big cats.

Personal life

Malaika Vaz was born to Marusha Vaz and Mac Vaz, and has two younger brothers, Mikhail and Marc.
As a competitive windsurfer, sailor and Professional Association of Diving Instructors Divemaster, she has developed a strong connection to the ocean and has witnessed the effects of unsustainable tourism on the Marine ecosystem.
This inspired her to campaign for ecological protection and work towards conserving India's natural resources through initiatives such as the Leave No Trace campaign, that reduced plastic waste drastically at Asia's largest music festival Sunburn held at Candolim, Goa, India.

Education

Malaika completed her schooling from Sharada Mandir School in Goa. She represented India along with students from 92 countries at UWC Mahindra College, one of the 18 United World Colleges spread out across the world.

Social work

Through her non-profit organization Kriyā, Malaika works to empower women; victims of sexual violence and disadvantaged teenage girls through adventure sport and outdoor education.
Under Malaika's guidance, the Kriyā Ambassadors summited Stok Kangri and Lungser Kangri in the Indian Himalayas to raise money for the Sherpa communities in the Khumbu Valley who were devastated by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Films

Awards