Please tell us about yourself

One Master’s degree was not enough for ambitious Sanhita Sharma from Haldwani, Uttarakhand. She has received an offer to study MSc Environmental Water Management at Cranfield University. Sanhita wants to be an expert on the topic of her interest— water.

Original Link:

https://www.deccanherald.com/features/dh-education/women-stem-roles-667608.html

How did you end up in such an offbeat, unconventional and unusual career?

Environmental Sciences particularly water resources fascinated me right since childhood. After doing my bachelor’s in microbiology, I was pretty certain about following by passion and studying Environmental Studies.Once I started working for HCL’s CSR, I realised how much more is yet to be explored in this domain not just from national perspective but globally. That’s when I decided to study abroad.

She grew up in Uttarakhand and saw first-hand that ample water resources do not mean assured access to clean drinking water, as part of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Her interest in the subject piqued when she was doing her BSc in Microbiology. She even took water as an elective while pursuing her postgraduation from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in Bengaluru.

What do you do?

Since completing the course, Sanhita has been working on water and sanitation problems in rural Uttar Pradesh. “When you study the theory it seems simple enough but on the field, it is quite different. We are building water tanks to supply potable water in villages. But creating a sense of ownership of the tanks among the residents is difficult. They are used to drinking contaminated water and so, we have to help them understand the need,” Sanhita said. Her second Master’s degree will equip her with a specialised understanding of water management. This she will use to devise innovative solutions to water problems in rural India, particularly in agriculture.

How was the experience at Cranfield?

While I was browsing through courses available across the world, MSc Environmental Water Management from Cranfield University caught my attention owing to it’s one of a kind course content. It not only comprises of theoretical modules, but gives equal emphasis to live practical learning through real time group and individual projects. The brand reputation of Cranfield was an add-on to all this.