Meet Priyadarshini Murahari

We were lucky to catch up with Priyadarshini Murahari recently and have shared our conversation below.

Priyadarshini, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I kept my creativity alive by staying in motion, through solo trips, camping, long hikes, and quiet walks in nature, always scanning the horizon for the next frame, the next spark. I never settled. I stayed curious. I followed what moved me: the wild patterns, the stillness, the questions that tugged at my core. Nature and travel have always given me moments of inspiration, fresh places, unfamiliar skies, and silence that invite you to listen. My creativity didn’t grow from routine; it thrived in the freedom to explore, to feel deeply, and to capture the world as it stirred something real in me. It lives in motion, in stillness, and in the art of paying attention.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Balancing Science, Art, and Purpose: A Bold Journey of Curiosity and Creativity
I don’t follow paths, I carve them.
My journey has never fit into neat checkboxes or tidy career ladders. It’s been wild, winding, and deeply intentional. I’ve moved between research labs and remote wilderness, shifting from molecular models to migrating birds, from decoding protein structures to capturing a moment of raw beauty through a camera lens. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
With a PhD in computational biology and a foundation in biotechnology, I dove into the world of molecular science, driven by relentless curiosity and a hunger to understand life at its deepest levels. I spent years immersed in the elegant complexity of biology, solving problems, asking questions, and chasing clarity.
But there was always another force within me, a quieter call that grew louder with time: Connection with nature.
Not just as a backdrop, but as a living presence, pulsing with emotion, rhythm, and wisdom. That call led me outside the lab, into forests, mountains, lakes, and coastlines. My camera became my second instrument. Science showed me how to see, and photography taught me how to feel.
I wasn’t just documenting landscapes or wildlife; I was telling stories, emotional and honest stories. A wild horse’s stillness, an elephant’s maternal embrace, the hush of snow on a forgotten trail. These weren’t merely photographs, they were moments of raw, undeniable truth frozen in time, in a split second, timeless, visceral, and real.
Over time, photography wasn’t a pivot, it was a parallel path. A way to breathe, to feel, to connect. I wasn’t stepping away from science, I was expanding it.
I’m not interested in returning to a single-track career. I’m building something new, something that honors both my scientific roots and my creative wings, a path where research and storytelling walk side by side.
I stopped asking where I belonged and started creating the space where I thrive.
Photography didn’t replace science, it expanded it. It gave my curiosity a second language, one that speaks to both mind and heart, one grounded in observation and lit by emotion.
I’m not here to fit in, I’m here to bridge worlds.
Today, I stand passionately and proudly at the intersection of science, art, and purpose. I use my images to educate, inspire, and advocate, for wildlife, for conservation, for emotional truth. My work spans continents and species, exploring the emotional intelligence of animals, the unspoken bond between humans and nature, and the transformative power of seeing with both clarity and compassion.
I’ve created an art collection that captures intimate, powerful moments in the wild, from rare rhino sightings and the quiet bonding of elephants to the lyrical flight of migratory birds. Each print is an invitation to witness, to feel, to remember what we’re connected to.
I’m currently developing a photo essay series on the emotional lives of animals and migratory birds, while also working on my new book, a behind-the-scenes photo diary that blends technical insight with personal experience. My upcoming art shows aren’t just exhibits; they’re immersive experiences where I share the stories behind each image and spark conversations that linger long after.
And my mission is clear:
To break boundaries,
To blend disciplines,
To reawaken wonder,
To remind people, through science, through image, through story, that connection is everything.
Because the most powerful journeys aren’t planned, they’re carved.
And I’ve carved mine boldly, unapologetically, and with both eyes wide open.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the most impactful qualities in my journey have been resilience, trusting my intuition, and thinking across disciplines. Resilience, the ability to keep going even when things are uncertain, delayed, or difficult has been my foundation. I’ve learned that progress doesn’t always look like forward motion, and sometimes the most important thing is simply showing up, again and again. Building that inner strength requires giving yourself permission to pause, fail, and begin again, with patience and consistency. At the same time, learning to trust my intuition and stay curious has guided many of my most meaningful decisions. In a world full of noise, comparison, and expectations, it’s vital to make space for stillness and to listen to that quiet voice within. Often, your intuition knows the way long before logic does. Curiosity, too, isn’t a distraction, it can be a compass if you let it lead. And finally, embracing interdisciplinary thinking has allowed me to blend seemingly unrelated passions, like science and art, into something uniquely mine. I’ve found that real creativity often lives in the overlap, not the extremes. Don’t limit yourself to one identity; instead, allow your interests to inform and inspire one another. That’s often where your most authentic and powerful work begins.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

One of the most impactful things my parents gave me was the freedom to explore who I am, without boxing me into a single path.
Though they came from a traditional background, they never discouraged my curiosity. Whether I was buried in science books, behind a camera, or traveling solo, they gave me space. They didn’t always understand my choices, but they respected them, and that quiet support meant everything.
Their trust taught me to trust myself. It helped me embrace uncertainty, take risks, and follow what felt right, even when it didn’t make sense on paper. They showed me that fulfillment comes not from following someone else’s version of success, but from creating your own.
They never pushed me to fit in. Instead, they reminded me it’s okay to make mistakes, learn, and keep going as long as the journey is yours. Their one message was clear: Do your best, even if results take time. Put your heart into it, and the rest will follow.
That kind of trust gave me the courage to evolve, explore both science and art, and reinvent myself when needed. It allowed me to be curious and brave; two qualities that continue to guide me today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.priyamurahari.photography
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priyamurahariphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/priyamurahari/