“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.”
- Albert Einstein
I have earned my master’s studying physical volcanology and geochemistry of basalt lava flows from the Deccan Volcanic Province, but the turning point for me to pursue a career in groundwater was when I went on a summer trek up the mountains. The one-on-one interaction that I had with few women belonging to tribal communities living upstream in the Western Ghats exposed me to a whole new reality of issues around water accessibility and quality. The women there had to slide through a narrow rock crevice to collect drinking water from a natural spring (photo on the right)
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Oct 2022 - Contributed a book chapter on 'Laterite: The hidden water towers' as part of Bhavtal magazine special issue 'Air, Water and Environment'. As part of science communication (in local language - Marathi) this article provides a fresh perspective on the Lateritic plateaus (sadas), and hopes that it will help in changing the narrative around Laterites and its conservation, otherwise considered as barren or wastelands. If interested in reading the full article in marathi, please drop a direct message.
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Sep 2022 - Contributed a book chapter on 'Drought Resilient Structures for Arid Landscapes' as part of Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction: A Handbook for Practitioners published by Kerala Institute for Local Administration. Also, shared some of my experiences and key insights with participants on constructing water harvesting structures in arid & semi-arid landscapes.
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.July 2022 - A short study of low-level lateritic aquifers in the hilly regions of the Konkan region was carried out to understand the role of ecohydrological interventions on renewal of degraded patches. The lithological profiling of lateritic aquifer required mapping through thick forested vegetation, learning about Blue Fountain Bush (Rotheca serrata) from a local forest steward, and encountering large swarms of Tiger Moth larvae (Macrobrochis sp) crawling up the tree trunks.
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May 2022 - Carried out an extensive mapping exercise of lateritic aquifers, their spatial disposition & thickness, groundwater level measurements and natural spring discharge measurements along the coastal region of Konkan as part of 'Conservation Management Plans for Bio-cultural Heritage of Konkan Sadas'
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April 2022 - Changes in land and water use has a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of water storage structures, stream flow, surface water-groundwater interactions and rate of soil erosion. As part of my ecohydrogeological survey in remote villages of Sangameshwar block, with help of local youth we tried to connect the dots on stream channel treatments, deforestation, and farming practice has on groundwater availability in shallow aquifers. We also had a consensus building with village level planners to understand the level of integration of traditional knowledge and engineered solutions in stream and groundwater management.
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Dec 2021 - Invited talk on 'Restoring Ecosystem with degraded soils' & 'Restoring Ecosystem with impaired hydrology' for the participants of 'Foundational certificate course on the Practice of Ecological Restoration, 2021', organised by Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture (BNCA), Pune & Junglescapes Charitable Trust, Bangalore
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