January 10, 2025

A World Apart Yet So Alike

Today was our first day at BMS College of Engineering, and the hustle and bustle of students on campus instantly transported me back to the familiar energy of UW. The library filled with students studying, the cabinets of trophies lining the walls, and weaving through crowds of students brought a comforting sense of being back home.

We attended a lecture by Bhargavi on Bengaluru’s history and growth and one of the key topics that struck me was how the Cauvery River became a major water source for the city around the 1950s or 1960s. Today, it supplies half of Bengaluru’s water needs, with groundwater making up the rest. Bhargavi also explained how the geography of the region led to the construction of thousands of manmade lakes—over some thousands in Karnataka alone. These lakes were designed to collect water, but their protection has largely fallen by the wayside. Hearing that groundwater recharge is effectively zero was a bit shocking, just showcasing the inefficiency of the current system. As I listened, I couldn’t help but think of home. Back in our classes at UW, we studied similar topics: watershed management, aquifers, and water treatment. It reminded me of how universal these challenges are, even as the specifics vary from one region to another. This connection gave me a deeper appreciation for the global nature of water resource issues and how important it is to learn from one another’s approaches and histories.

As part of the Biome group, the partner organization dedicated to water management, it’s one thing to study water systems in a classroom and quite another to witness their realities in a place where they impact millions of lives daily. Today reminded me to slow down and truly absorb what I’m learning—to see the connections between the lectures, the local context, and even my own life. Burning my tongue on a cup of chai that afternoon might not have been the highlight of my day, but in a way, it’s a fitting metaphor. The experience is rich, full of warmth and depth, but it requires care and mindfulness to fully appreciate. And I’m looking forward to what comes next: the conversations, the learning, and the opportunity to see the world through a broader lens.

By
Nadia