I tried to do something substantial for Earth Day, which is today, and helped build a network of passionate geology students from colleges and universities across India!
I interviewed each one and it was simply great!
You can read their replies to my questions below.
Presenting, 14 determined geology students from 10 institutions of higher learning !
As prospective geologists, they are finally getting the limelight they deserve! 😀
1.BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY,VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH
Interested in: Micropalaeontology and Oceanography.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Shimla and Dharampur. Here,one can see the Dagshile Kasauli Formation and observe indications of the presence of the Main Boundary Fault.
She loves college because, the Igneous Petrology Laboratory has an EPMA instrument which we use for inspection of minerals and rock identification.
Message for Earth Day-
“Our Earth is full of adventures and mysteries, and I am trying to discover them all by studying about them one by one!”
2.HEMWATI NANDAN BAHUGUNA GARHWAL UNIVERSITY, SRINAGAR, UTTARAKHAND
Interested in: Structural Geology and Sedimentology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Nahan, Himanchal Pradesh. There, one can get a chance to recognise the Nahan Thrust.
He loves college because, he gets to study his favourite subject, Geology!
Message for Earth Day-
“Consider the Earth as your own body. You have to keep it clean and love the way it is. ;)”
Interested in: Engineering Geology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: The Shiwaliks. One can find so many vertebrate fossils there, it’s simply amazing!
He loves college because, his university is situated in the heart of the Himalayas and he gets to admire and study about the Himalayas and its formation. 🙂
Message for Earth Day-
“Earth is not just a planet.It is a heavenly playground and it is us to us to choose to be either its guardians or its destroyers.”
3.NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ROURKELA,ODISHA
Interested in: Coal Petrology
Memorable Field Trip Location: Ramgiri Gold Field,Gadag,Karnataka.
He loves college because, at NIT-Rourkela, he doesn’t study just ‘geology’,but gets to study it as an amalgamation of different sciences; Earth Science.
Message for Earth Day-
“If the Earth were a piece of art, a geologist would be ‘Picasso’.”
4.UNIVERSITY OF LUCKNOW,LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH
Interested in: Structural Geology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Almora and nearby areas like Kausani.
She loves college because, the rock garden at her department has the best rock samples from various regions in India.They have a geology museum too that has many expensive minerals, fossils and rock samples.
Message for Earth Day-
“We don’t inherit earth from our ancestors but we borrow it from our children. Therefore,we must protect it and preserve it.”
Interested in: Oceanography.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Undoubtedly, Almora. It’s a great place to study and understand structural geology. Besides, it offers excellent views of the higher Himalayas.”
He loves college because, he believes that his department is home to experts in all major branches of geology.
Message for Earth Day-
“Let’s keep our surroundings clean, conserve electricity, learn as much as we can about the home which we call Earth and love it and leave it a better place for the future generations !”
5.ST.XAVIER’S COLLEGE-AUTONOMOUS,MUMBAI,MAHARASHTRA
Interested in: Remote Sensing.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park. One can see the fossils of dinosaur teeth, bones and skull. What really wowed him were the fossils of Rajasaurus and a well preserved clutch of dinosaur eggs.
He loves college because, he get a chance to get himself acquainted with GIS software,which will help him get basic knowledge to further his studies in Geographic Information Systems.
Message for Earth Day-
“We, geologists, must join hands to protect the very Earth that we study.”
Interested in: Remote Sensing.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Jaisalmer. One can find and abundance of fossils and a few dinosaur footprints.
He loves college because, the field trips are so much fun and these field visits are the subject of envy for other departments at his college.
Message for Earth Day-
“Since Earth day is all about sustainable development, we as geologists understand the situation of our earth’s resources, be it fossil fuels or groundwater and we can do our part in preventing their exploitation from an ‘Environmental-Geological’ perspective.”
6.THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA,VADODARA,GUJARAT
Interested in: Earth Structures and Dynamics.
Memorable Field Trip Location:Heran river bed, Rangpur. I got to observe three different compositions of volcanic dykes that are found cutting each other.
She loves college because, her department is one of the leading centres for geological research in western India. Moreover, there are numerous geological wonders for one to visit in the state of Gujarat.
Message for Earth Day-
“Earth is a never ending mystery, revealing its secrets in the most beautiful and wonderful of ways. Solve it, learn it and Respect it.”
Interested in: Exploration Geology and Mining Geology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Recently, I got a chance to visit Narukot, near Champaner, Gujarat, India. We were taught structural and litho-contact mapping, which was quite interesting to learn.
He loves college because, his department excels in research in Quaternary Geology and Neotectonics.
Message for Earth Day-
“The more you get to explore the Earth, the more you start loving it.”
7.INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (INDIAN SCHOOL OF MINES), DHANBAD,JHARKHAND.
Interested in: Geotechnical and Petroleum Geology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Bhutinda Falls, near Dhanbad. Here , one can witness the active fluvial system for hydrocarbon preservation.
He loves college because, the name of his college is a legacy in itself! 🙂
Message for Earth Day-
“Learn, Grow, Evolve”
8.NOWROSJEE WADIA COLLEGE,PUNE,MAHARASHTRA
Interested in: Geophysics.
Memorable Field Trip Location:Karnataka, Ghokak. I got the opportunity to observe intercalated shale, 3 dykes of hornblende and amphibolite at a single place.
He loves college because, he really enjoys practical assignments in the department laboratory. 🙂
Message for Earth Day-
“The Earth and all its beings are one large family, lets keep it that way!”
9.ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY, ALLAHABAD,UTTAR PRADESH.
Interested in: Hydrogeology.
Memorable Field Trip Location: Madan Haveli, Jabalpur. One can see the famous balancing rock there!
He loves college because, there are dinosaur egg fossils in the department laboratory and it also boasts of the National Center of Experimental Mineralogy and Petrology.
Message for Earth Day-
“Geologists don’t need a laboratory, the entire Earth is our laboratory.”
10.SAVITRIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY, PUNE,MAHARASHTRA.
Interested in: Petrology
Memorable Field Trip Location: Malvan and Kankavali in Maharashtra and Goa. The locations show such a contrasting variation in geology from 3.2by old pre-cambrian rocks to Kaldgis to Deccan traps as well as sedimentary rocks. The metamorphic terrain is amazing and observing everything has added to my knowledge, be it small scale structures or large scale structures.
He loves college because, the professors at his university are encourage research based thinking along with analytical skill development.There is availability of sophisticated instruments and support from teachers makes it one of the best universities to study geology in India.
Message for Earth Day-
“My message for Earth Day 2017 is that the planet has formed over billions of years and shows contrasting and striking difference in geology and various type of resources. Our aim as geologists should be to make effective use of resources available with proper care of environment and most important of all preservation of our heritage, geological structures for the coming generations.”
I cannot express how elated I am to have finally written this post! I am so grateful to EVERYONE who sent in their responses,trusting me with their answers!
We’ve built a beautiful geology family and have celebrated Earth Day truly. 🙂
Thank you for being a part of this!
If you like this post,and the efforts that went into writing it, please leave a comment below! I’d love to read them!
Happy Earth Day everyone! 😀 ❤
World of Gaea 
Ah, geology. The underdog. Great contributor to explaining our existence and physics and chemistry and all take the credits. But then it feels nice to see people getting more involved and informed about the subject. And such presentable articles play an important role in spreading awareness, less people to explain to my field of study if they just read this and follow this blog 😁 worth sharing.
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Its awesome… Happy earth day !!!!
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Pleased by seeing ur efforts…….happy belated Earth day….I just want to ask a simple question… beside expressing our feelings for mother Earth what else we do on ground basis in actual world……are we really doing some contribution in taking care of our mother Earth……. just even small steps like not using crackers in diwali just as initiative… there would be many such like me …..so think just by this small step howmuch pollution would be reduced…..that is main thing is …what we really do for our mother Earth even though they are small steps…..they can bring big changes…
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Quite interesting 😁 Happy earth day ❤
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I really appreciate this initiative, keep it up.
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Loved the initiative. You’ve accounted from students studying all over the country, that is what makes it stand out 👍👍
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So interesting to know the views of all!👌😀
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Your efforts and excitement are contagious. So inspiring to read the views and thoughts of students of Nature/Earth related subjects. I hope we all continue to learn more and you continue to write! What a thoughtful project, Nikita. 🙂
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