The Path That Led Me Home

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It began with a simple walk.

A small trek inside Bannerghatta National Park ,where I stood surrounded by trees, birds, and life I couldn’t name. I remember feeling both amazed and embarrassed. How could I feel so connected to nature, yet know so little about it? That day planted a question deep in me. And from that question, everything else began.

I started observing again with the curiosity I once had as a child. Every sound, every feather, every ripple on water drew my attention. It wasn’t about study or work then. It was about belonging.

Later, when I got the opportunity to work on my first lake restoration project, I thought I had found my purpose. Watching that waterbody come back to life felt powerful. But as the project went on, I began to sense something wasn’t right. The process, the approach, even the understanding it wasn’t what it should have been. We were trying to help nature without really understanding her.

That realization hit hard.

It’s what pushed me to take up my Master’s in Environmental Engineering, not for a degree, but for clarity. I wanted to learn the science behind what I loved hydrology, watersheds, and the flow that connects all living things. I wanted to be someone who didn’t just restore a lake, but restored it right.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that this was my way of serving the country. I once dreamt of joining the Air Force to wear the uniform and defend my nation. But when that path didn’t work out, I found another one where I could protect the land itself. I realized I didn’t need wings to serve; I just needed purpose.

Each project since then has been a chapter of learning. Every time a lake fills with fresh water, every time birds and cattle return, I feel a quiet pride that words can’t describe. It’s not loud or dramatic , it’s peace, satisfaction, and the feeling that I’ve done something that truly matters.

People sometimes misunderstand me. They think I’m too emotional, too trusting, or too quiet. But what they don’t see is that silence has its strength. I speak less because I listen more to people, to water, to the land itself.

Through these years, I’ve learned that conservation isn’t only about science it’s about empathy. It’s about understanding people’s needs while protecting the planet’s pulse. It’s about coexistence not choosing between development and nature, but finding a way for both to thrive together.

Today, I call myself a practitioner of coexistence. I don’t just restore lakes; I try to rebuild balance between what we take and what we return.

My dream is to travel across India, to explore every corner where nature still breathes to learn from the land, from the people, and from the challenges that each ecosystem faces. I want to show that every animal, every drop of water, every tree has its rightful place in this world.

If I had to describe myself in one line, I’d say:

“A man known for his passion and rooted in purpose.”

Because for me, being close to nature isn’t an escape - it’s home.