Born and grew up in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Settled at Lucknow after serving state transport department for more than 35 years. Now retired. Authentically a traveller, an observant traveller, later grown into wildlife enthusiasts and writer. Travel to various parts of Himalayas, first in the childhood, in the company of his father and later owing to job profile. Conservation of birds and their habitat is one of the prime concerns and can be achieved through awareness, action, and advocacy. By achieving one can aim for better and liveable world, he believes. His contribution in the form of lecture/presentations, events, articles, photographs, and books is well acknowledged and recognized. Authored/co-authored various books on birds and nature so far. Some of the titles are: Conservation of Potential Wetlands in District Sitapur (by State Forest Department, Uttar Pradesh), Birds of Raj Bhavan, Uttar Pradesh (published by State Biodiversity Board, Uttar Pradesh), Threatened Birds of Uttar Pradesh (published by Oxford University Press), Birds of Uttar Pradesh, a coffee table book (by Times of India) and lastly Birds of Lucknow (by Bloomsbury India).

Since 2006, Neeraj is associated with Indian Bird Conservation Network (an offshoot of Bombay Natural History Society) as Honorary State Coordinator for Uttar Pradesh and with Wetland International, South Asia, in the same capacity discharging his conservation duties and been instrumental in documenting the state and status of bird diversity across the state.