The koral collective comprises a multidisciplinary team of scholars and researchers dedicated to sharing the layered histories, lesser-known stories, and living cultures of Tulunadu through cultural excursions and guided walking trails across Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.
Sheltered at the foot of the Western Ghats and battered by sea and rain, Tulunadu endures in the collective memory of its people and in the stories still told. Its cultural life is animated by traditions unlike any others. You cannot help but return with forgotten secrets of the land and the stories whispered by the trees to the sea in a language older than memory.
We take our name from the koral kattuna parbha, the festival that marks the first paddy harvest of the season, which brings and binds families, faiths, and communities. The koral or paddy is not only nourishment but also inextricably linked to the region’s traditions, rites, festivals, and songs—it is grain and gospel. The paddy stalk in our logo stands for what Tuluvas have always held close: sustenance, prosperity, and reverence for nature.
PhD Social Anthropology
IIT Hyderabad
Meghna is a Tuluva native anthropologist who understands that culture is never separate from history, community, or cuisine. Her research is centred around the lives and aspirations of the fishing community of Tulunadu. She has worked across hospitality, digital advocacy, and education sectors. She now runs a collective that turns trails through Tulunadu into something that stays with you.
Professor of Archaeology
With nearly four decades of experience, Murugeshi brings the full depth of archaeology to the trails—epigraphy, iconography, art and architecture—alongside a particular passion for the prehistory of Tulunadu, its rock art sites, and megalithic cultural remains.
Architect | Heritage Researcher
Sharvani works on architectural documentation, conservation, restoration proposals and publication design, with a focus on recording and interpreting the vernacular architecture and cultural heritage of coastal Karnataka.
Architect | Urban Designer
Shravya’s work sits at the intersection of architecture, history, photography, and culture. Informed by Tulunadu’s lore and coastal diversity, she curates meaningful experiences that reward the curious.
History Scholar
Shreyas is drawn to the social history of coastal Karnataka: to inscriptions, manuscripts, to the arcane, and the lived connections between the present and the past that are often overlooked.
Finance Consultant
Aparna holds an MBA in Finance and brings the analytical rigour the collective runs on behind the scenes. She is drawn to new places, new people, and new experiences.
Anthropology Researcher | Teacher
Nitesh researches and documents the living cultures of Tulunadu, contributing to a deeper understanding of Tulu society. He is also a philosophy teacher.
Visual Designer
Raisah works in the space between idea and image. She believes that good design doesn’t decorate a story; it reveals one. Her instinct for visual storytelling and an impulse to create with colour give the collective its face.
Copywriter
Sriram is an editor and translator who can be found wrestling with the written word. He has a decade of experience working in education and learning. He also runs an independent publishing imprint.
Web Developer
As the architect of invisible design, Tushar is a tinkerer at heart who builds and maintains the web infrastructure that makes everything the team does in the digital realm possible.
UI/UX Designer
Vishwas is a Computer Science student with a deep curiosity for how things are built. He brings design flair and technical ambition to the team’s digital presence.
