Policy Advocacy
I was invited to present my research “Turning the Tide“ at the World Ocean Science Congress 2024, India’s largest ocean conservation symposium hosted by The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) , the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. I was the only high school student and the youngest presenter advocating for marine health. I presented my early pollution detection algorithm to over 4,000 delegates and leaders of ocean conservation. I had a chance to pitch my early pollution detection algorithm to Dr Prasanna Kumar Emeritus Scientist NIO Goa, Dr Ashwani Vishwanath, Dr G.A. Ramadass Director NIOT, S.A. Sannasiraj IIT Madras, P.K.Srivastava Scientist MoEs and other members of The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India. Through these efforts I was able to advocate for data driven change for local fishing communities in Maharashtra and Goa.
Community Engagement
Project River Watch
As a part of project this initiative, we mapped the water quality of Goan rivers in India, with the help of the local fishing community, composed of 11,000 people. We had a chance to interact and interview over 100 local fishermen on their experiences about the water quality in their region. We also collected primary data about water quality from 56 river stations in Goa and conducted exploratory data analysis to find the root cause of pollution during a particular season.
This helped increase the amount of data for the Goan government and reduce pollution of the Goan Pollution Control Board. We proactively collected this data as a response to an article released by the Goan Pollution Control Board stating there wasn’t enough water quality data. The dataset, built over 12 months, was robust in size and quality as it included 20,400 data points, serving as a valuable resource for future research and policy making.
Based on the data exploration, I presented a proposal on different types of sonar devices and sensors that should be installed on the very first fleet of boats tasked with mapping the underwater region of Konkan coast for enhancing our understanding of marine ecosystems and potential pollution sources.
Outreach
I have been a competitive swimmer since the age of 4. I have spent more hours in water than on land. I leveraged my platform as a national-level swimmer to advocate for water pollution reduction strategies during competitions, amplifying the message to a wider audience.In the last 2 years I have participated in over 40 Competitions and interacted with over 5,000 swimmers
