Today is Akshay Tritiya. On this auspicious day I am happy to announce that I have changed my focus of study and future field of interest. After working for fifteen long years in the fascinating IT field, I am returning to my home ground of Environmental Engineering. This change in my mindset gives me pleasure of regaining new strength and aspirations.
Towards the fag end of my service in Walchand College of Engineering in Civil Department as professor of Environmental engineering, I ventured to enter the fast growing IT entrepreneurship by establishing Dnyandeep Infotech Pvt. Ltd. Though I had some experience of participating in software development and teaching of computer programming, staring a private limited company was a risky step. With few fresh computer graduates we started working.
The main driving force behind my initiative was to create awareness about future potential of IT and develop software in local language Marathi. Soon we could establish ourselves as leading web design and software company in Sangli. We developed some city portals, educational and social websites which became very popular. However, as the internet connectivity was poor and computers were considered as luxury rather than necessity, there was no financial stability to our company. The frequent outflow of our experienced software professionals to corporate IT companies, the status of company got transformed to informal training institute.
With the new wave of green technology in real estate sector and need of creating environmental awareness, I thought it fit to start public trust for education and research in Environment and IT. This gave birth to Dnyandeep Education & Research Foundation in 2005. We conducted many seminars and workshops and international study tours through this foundation.
Though I was active in these two organizations, I was always tagged as professor of environmental engineering by all. This was the result of my qualification and main service career. People were not ready to accept me as a web designer or software professional. This created a sense of disappointment in my mind. Nevertheless, I continued to delve in many new advances in IT field and took keen interest in development efforts taken by our software personnel.
I was fortunate to get ample field experience in design and planning of water supply and wastewater projects and conducting Environmental Impact studies for many industries while working in college. Dr. Subbarao was instrumental in creating an atmosphere of applied research and development in Environmental Engg and established consultancy links with industries and local bodies. Dr. Subbarao, myself and Prof. Gadgil formed a unique team in the college, which provided necessary technical advice to many local bodies and industries for over three decades.. We could get help from our post graduate students.
I had opportunity to visit many industries in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states and I could get much broader knowledge of environmental pollution problem and reasons for failure in implementing effective technical solutions. Social apathy towards environmental issues and tendency of ignoring the problem on economic grounds were the main reasons for such failure. Probably, this discouraging experience led me to turn my attention from environmental to newly emerging IT field.
With the onset of new government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, both IT and Environmental Fields are given top priority in planning and fund allocation. Development of effective and economical solutions to many large scale environmental pollution problems has become a daunting task for the experts in the field. Great new opportunities are opened in Environmental consultancy. Unfortunately, at present, it is observed that majority of environmental fresh graduates in India lack field experience and are ill equipped with latest design techniques. As a result, there is a shortage of capable environmental engineering firms in India. As a consequence, it is possible that foreign companies with latest technologies will be awarded planning and execution of environmental projects in India.
I felt that it is more important for me to use my knowledge and expertise in Environmental Engineering in a more proactive and direct way rather than spending time in steering research in Information technology, the field which is already flooded with many talented young professionals.
Considering my age, it was not possible for me to start such a venture on individual basis. Hence I decided to form a like minded group for this task. Fortunately for me, I could get positive response from Dr. A. B. Kulkarni, a senior structural engineer, Shri. Deshmane, Retd Chief Engineer from M.J.P and my longtime colleague Prof. Gadgil. We formally started a partnership firm under the name of `Enviro Tech-Square’ on Gudhi Padwa.
I look forward to my future career in this familiar field and have started refreshing my experience and and relearning new developments in this field with great enthusiasm and vigor of a child entering new school.
All the best
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