Statement of Purpose

India’s groundwater dependency is the largest in the world as well as amount of increase in population of
the country is also the largest in the world. Where huge amount of people use groundwater for their daily
needs in the form of rural and urban domestic water supply or for agriculture and for industrial needs. On
groundwater resources large component of agriculture, domestic and livestock water supply is dependent.
Where due to less availability and inconsistency of rainfall leads to drought situations, so the dependency
of groundwater also increases which gives rise to depletion in groundwater level. There are hardly any
groundwater schemes as compared to surface water. This is because of lack of awareness about ground
water. Due to incomplete understanding of aquifer system and without a mature approach to groundwater
management, poor execution of recharge methods are done.

With the benefit of my geological knowledge it will help me to improve this current drought situation. I
can improve understanding of water scarcity, water quality issues and sustainable use. As there is limited
knowledge I need to gain it. When it comes to basic needs water is the most important aspect of life. It is
also beneficial for the eco system and profitable for the people. I started seeing myself as a hydrogeology
student where I got closer to demanding hydrogeological problems: groundwater pollution, water
resources management, lack of awareness, dependency on groundwater in Maharashtra. In order to
enhance my theoretical and technical knowledge, I decided to take the next step in my education in the
field of hydrogeology.

I have completed my bachelors in geology I was introduced to a subject of Applied Geology which
includes Remote Sensing, GIS, Geohydrology and Environmental Geology. The subject containing more
field knowledge. I love doing practical work due to which I used to score highest in the academics
practicals. I participated in state level workshop on “Methodologies and Application of Hydrogeology in
Groundwater Resource Management” organized by Geology department. It includes field visit and
preparing geological maps with respect to groundwater. The workshop and interactive sessions with
faculty members helped me enrich my interests in field of Hydrogeology. Apart from my academics I
have undergone a 15 days training course “Planning, Development and management of groundwater with
special reference to Watershed Management Programmes” with excellent grades which has helped me to
explore the knowledge and opportunities for Water Management.

While doing my masters in Petroleum Technology I got an opportunity of volunteering in a National

Conference held in my college. Where I achieved good communication, listening and interpersonal skills
and leadership quality. It helped me to build confidence about how to interact with people from different
branches. I have participated in extra-curricular activity, where I ranked 2 nd in Intercollegiate Geological
Treasure Hunt competition organized by department of Geology in Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune. In
laboratory I used to help my juniors in arranging and labeling the rock samples for the lecture which
helped me during my examinations to score a grade ‘A’.
I was a part of geological Fieldwork where I could not be thankful enough to my department for their
continued support and encouragement for writing report on Geological Field Work at Bagalkot and
Badami Groups of the Kaladgi Basin, Karnataka under the guidance of Dr. Amruta Paranjpe. It energized
me doing field work in any weather conditions. But it was more of theory work, I want to convert the
theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge. I turned to acwadam as a volunteer for 6 months, I used
to go with team members for different types of surveys. Which included bore well survey, weather
survey, water testing survey and social survey. As I stared getting interest in this process and was eager to
know reason behind these surveys it was then I decided to do my full time hydrogeology internship for 14
months in acwadam. It helped me to build confidence to interact with local communities, leading a team
for field work, educating villages about importance of groundwater, there different types of approach
towards recharge technique, water related problems and incomplete knowledge of groundwater.

My work with ACWADAM was mostly in basaltic terrain of Deccan traps where igneous rocks are
natural filters for water. I got the opportunity to work with reputed government and Non-government
organizations like UNICEF, GSDA and Art of Living. During my internship I completed my dissertation
thesis titled “Hydrogeological inputs for drinking water safety and security in three villages of
Osmanabad district, Maharashtra” where the main objective was strengthening Institutional Arrangements
for Drinking water Safety and Security Planning and its implementation in rural areas of Maharashtra.
This project involves both field work and desk work. Field work comprises of preliminary survey, well
inventory, water quality testing, geological mapping, trainings and pumping test, while the desk work
consist of collection of background data from secondary sources, data interpretation and analysis. With
the help of this work performed a watershed map was prepared to identify the subsurface geology and
aquifer delineation is done for safety and security recommendation.

As working on this project I experienced that the frequent drought in last 15 years have been worst. The
aquifers, where the groundwater resides, are running dry. Farmers are tapping aquifers by drilling deep
bore wells. More than 80% of Maharashtra consists of hard rocks where there is a limited potential for
recharge. The current rate of abstraction is no match to the recharge, leading to over exploitation of
aquifers. This observation was a bit painful and harsh for me. So to learn, get information and to
implement this knowledge I need to study master’s program in your university.

The geology is diverse as the good places to look at the geology is road cuttings and local quarries. As I
can get more knowledge of rocks in Germany. As I lives in pune it will be a favorable climatic conditions.
The rain and the cold weather suits my body. I am attracted towards culture, lifestyle and people of
Germany.