The Lake Warrior

Let’s meet Madhulika Choudhary, the founder of Dhruvansh, a Registered trust that advocates the science, practice, and policy of ecological restoration to sustain biodiversity, improve resilience in a changing climate, and re-establish an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.

The Mission of Dhruvansh is the Ecological Restoration of Fresh Water & Sewage Water Lakes. The organization works towards the protection of Natural and cultural heritages involving communities for the Sustainable development of the entire ecosystem.

By assisting the recovery of native ecosystems, ecological restoration can improve biodiversity conservation, secure sustainable livelihoods, ensure the delivery of ecosystem services, and mitigate and adapt to climate change. The benefits of ecological restoration are often long-term, benefitting the local community for generations to come.

Madhulika is an MTech in Software Engineering from Banasthali University, Jaipur. She is a certified Pollution monitor of MOEFFCC from EPTRI-ENVIS, Hyderabad. She is currently pursuing an MTech in Environment Management from JNTU, Hyderabad.

Madhulika was a Research Scientist for two years in CEERI, Pilani (Raj), a branch of CSIR, and also worked as a Professor at ICFAI University for 8 years in the Artificial Intelligence Dept (CSE), before starting and managing Dhruvansh.

Here’s the tete-a-tete with the Lady of Lakes:

What drives you? Why do u do what you do?

A hope of a better future drives me. A dream of a Healthy Environment with no pollution drives me.

I want to leave fresh water and fresh air as a legacy for my kids.

Lake Restoration is just not a work or passion for me. It has become a process of Worship where every event gives me energy, enlightenment, and vision of the future.

What are the biggest challenges that you face in work?

The biggest challenges can be described superficially as a Lack of Awareness but I believe challenges have been created over the years (700 years) where Indian civilization had been disconnected from its roots. This has happened slowly but gradually and degradation is still going on.

The Structure of Indian Civilization with all its festivals and rituals when it was started and the present structure is totally different. In fact, we are Britishers in the skin of Indians.

Indianization has become a lost story hence its connection with the Environment otherwise Environmental protection was the basis of Indian Civilization which used to be imbibed in every child from birth.

What are the biggest opportunities you see as a woman?

The biggest opportunity is multitasking and patience. I have the capability to reduce my ego to nearly zero. However, lake restoration is a challenging task hence no other women are taking up the Lake Restoration mission. Still, I must create this field in a way where women get opportunities.

I understand Lakes and the Environment better as lake Encroachment is more or less equal to female trafficking. The upliftment of women and the upliftment of lakes is proportional to each other.

What leadership traits and characteristics or strengths and weaknesses do you feel require or hinder you in pursuit of excellence in your field of expertise?

Being a wife and mother of two kids, I have acquired a lot of patience in the last few years. Plus, I don’t waste anything, mostly recycle and bargain for everything. Hence you can use a lot of patience and develop low cost-effective measures with lots of Social Connectivity and Engineering. My Analysis, intuition, and daring attitude has given me immense support to establish myself in a city where I knew nobody, no friends, no colleagues, and no relatives.

My Weakness is my extreme perseverance and emotional behavior which many times create issues for me.

When did you step into this role?

In 2014, I decided to start the Dhruvansh organization to show a ray of hope in extreme darkness, the same way as the North Pole star (Dhruv) does.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I see myself as a Chanakya looking for Chandragupta Maurya.

How do you motivate yourself every day?

Just talking about the lake fills me with energy.

How do you manage multiple roles that you do in daily life?

My family has my husband, two kids, two dogs, three cats, and two rabbits, – A big joint family. My husband and my kids help me a lot.

What’s your philosophy in life?

When you want something, the universe conspires to help you to achieve it.

Your message to other women.

A woman is a Nation creator. Women have the power to give birth and create a Shivaji, but before that we must become a Jijabai. Realize your power and unleash it.

What’s the technology that is used by you in your mission?

Technology is -Integrated Wetland Management System – years of Experience, Observation; and monitoring enabled us to develop IWMS for the restoration of water bodies. Treatment using an Integrated Wetland Management System is more sustainable, low cost, community-friendly, Biodiversity friendly, and earning source for nearby residents.

Integrated wetland management system consists of –

Floating Treatment Wetlands

Ecological Beds

Customized floating aerators of 1hp; 2 hp as per depth

Phytoremediation plants.

Bioremediation

Storm Water Treatment and  Management

Catchment Area Development

Your Awards and Recognitions

Awards

1. NATIONAL WATER AWARD, 2019 from the Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation (GOI), Delhi

2. WEBWONDERWOMEN AWARD, 2019 from the Ministry of Women and Child Development (GOI), Delhi

3. EARTH CARE Award from TOI, JSW and MOEFF, Delhi

4. Eco-sapien Award from News India Express and Edex in 2019.

5. Telangana Harith Mitra Award, 2018 By Telangana Forest Department

6. Telangana State Biodiversity Award 2017 from Telangana State Biodiversity Board.

7. Telangana Tourism Award 2018 from Telangana Tourism Dept

8. LADY LEGEND AWARD 2018 from Raja Ratan Trust.

9. Environment Protector Award from Akansha Trust 2017.

10. Vocational Excellency Award 2018 from Rotary Club, Greater Hyderabad.

11. Biggest Floating Island by India Book of Records, 2018

12. Heroes of Hyderabad (most popular environmentalist) in Environment by Radio City, 2018

13. Telangana Water Conservation Award -2021 by Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation

14. Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 by Tirupati City Chambers, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

15. IKON Award 2021 by Sree Nidhi Educational Group, Telangana.

Lakes That You Restored

Below are a few:

1. Novotel Lake, Hitex

2. Neknampur Lake, Manikonda

3. Mushki Cheruvu, Narsingi

4. Jaamma Cheruvu, Shadnagar Lake

5. Chandana Cheruvu, Meerpet Lake

6. Chinna Cheruvu, Ibrahimpatanam Lake

7. Golconda Army Lake

8. AOC Centre Lake, Secunderabad

9. Pleasant Valley Lake, Jubilee Hills

10. Langer Houz Lake 

11. Errakunta, Shaipket Lake

12. Itkini Cheruvu, Mancherevula

What else do you want to do for Society?

Increase jobs at Lake and in Environment, open a Wetland Research Institute and Social Engineering. My vision is also to develop lakes as a knowledge hub for school students and research projects for college students (like solar subsurface aerators, Forth and Foam treatment, floating islands of water hyacinth bed etc.) and recreational place for Biodiversity.

We, from Dhruvansh, also strive to initiate an educational structure that can help those citizens who are keen to work for the Environment.

Dr. Sailaja is a seasoned HR Leader, Guest Speaker, and Sustainable Practices enthusiast.