“I used to work as a scientist in different organizations. I operated with teams that helped sensitize the villagers towards environmental awareness such as climate change and other natural disasters. It came to my notice that they possess almost no basic understanding of environmental affairs. India has provided a thin curriculum of knowledge for adults or children in the rural areas. Right then I decided to dip my feet into the education sector to reinforce knowledge from the grassroots.”

“I found out about Teach for India from my juniors who were already working as fellows. All the research I did lead to becoming a fellow myself in 2017. I mainly teach English and Science but since there are few resources, I sometimes teach General Knowledge and Computer Science to 13 and 14 y/o kids. I will be completing my term in about 4 months. Sometimes I want it to end soon. Frankly, it is exhausting. There’s a lot of planning involved. But it is an interesting journey. I will definitely miss it.”

What’s in the future?

“I either plan to go back and work in a Civil Society Organization to promote community engagement and environmental awareness programs. Or I might refocus on academics and complete my PhD in Sustainable Development. My long-term goal is to start my own organization. But I know for sure that I’d like to stay in Bangalore for a couple more years. I absolutely love it here.”

“Environmental catastrophes in another 20-25 years are anticipated to occur. Which is why I attempt to educate people to be self-reliant and empathetic towards the environment. I believe this awareness should begin at a school level. Science literacy, especially, needs to be improved drastically in schools and colleges in order to alleviate the consequences. I am Oishanee Ghosh.”