Support Induja in becoming a conservation leader

Hi, I am Prashant Hedao, landscape architect, geographer, and an expert in geospatial technologies, currently consulting for the World Health Organisation. Earlier I have worked in the field of biodiversity conservation, natural resources management, urban and regional planning and post disaster rehabilitation planning. I am creating this fundraiser for Induja from India, who recently got accepted at University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue her Master's degree in Environmental Conservation. I have mentored her since the early days of her career, and I continue to do so. Ever since I have known Induja, I have seen her as a deeply dedicated and passionate young person who is constantly working towards addressing social and environmental issues.

She is a dynamic and natural leader who has demonstrated great learning capabilities and application in problem solving, be it social or technical. She now has a great opportunity to pursue her Master's degree in environmental conservation and truly become a conservation leader. Please read her personal appeal below and join us in supporting her in making this dream a reality –

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Hello, My name is Induja Gandhiprasad, and I live in Auroville, an intentional, international township in South India. I come from a small farming family in rural India at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats of South India. I grew up in the rich beauty of nature with lush green paddy fields dotted with small hamlets against the backdrop of rolling hills. I grew up deeply connected with nature and was curious about the world around me.

As the years passed, I noticed we were losing the shaded paths we walked on, trails through agriculture fields, water in village ponds, and more. The pressures of rapid economic growth coupled with poor planning have resulted in stress on water resources, decline of agriculture, and other negative impacts such as loss of natural habitat. The natural beauty of the place I grew up in remains a distant memory today. Witnessing the environment go through such undesirable changes due to anthropogenic activities, I grew passionate about bringing solutions to effect positive changes in society and protecting the environment. In the words of Eldridge Cleaver - "You are either part of the solution or part of the problem". I have chosen to be part of the solution and it has led me on a path of self-discovery and learning.

I chose to study architecture to bring ‘sustainability’ in the way we built our towns and cities. After my undergraduate studies, I moved to Auroville, a place known for its exemplary work on regeneration of indigenous forests and an experiment in sustainable urban and regional planning. I worked on projects in Auroville with an interdisciplinary approach which attempted to address social and environmental planning issues. This gave me an insight that planning at a larger scale is the key and therefore I gravitated towards it. I currently manage a project that provides clean and safe water access using solar energy to remote tribal communities. As part of this project, I travel to remote corners of India working with incredible indigenous women to solve water access issues. So far my work has covered more than 300 tribal communities. The vulnerability of these communities, who have not contributed anything to the current global climate crisis but are facing the consequences of that, inspires and motivates me to find better solutions.

I am also involved in other activities at a local level such as a litter cleanup drive, forming self-education groups for youth, volunteering for community events, and so on. I was selected as an international scholar by the Society for Conservation GIS in 2020 to attend a training and their annual conference on GIS which helped me enhance my technical skills and network with the global conservation community. My communication abilities and passion in preventing plastic pollution gave me a chance to engage as a trainer for a curriculum designed in Tamil Nadu to train school teachers on the science of microplastics. As a member of the COVID-19 task force in Auroville, I have also worked in a challenging health emergency situation.

I have grown personally and professionally as a result of these opportunities. I feel privileged to have been able to work on these crucial issues at the grassroots level. Unfortunately, environmental degradation is escalating at such an unprecedented pace and I realized that we must rise up and find innovative solutions to the world's biggest challenges. I have made it my life's mission to bring about positive changes and have decided to push back against the pressures of society that young women like me face and dedicate my life to protecting our planet. A year ago, in a difficult conversation with my parents, I shared these ambitious intentions with them.

I am delighted to be accepted into the Master of Science in Environmental Conservation program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. It is a 15-month program starting in June 2024, for which I need a total of USD 44,250 (INR 36,89,653/-) to cover my tuition fees and living expenses. The university has awarded me a scholarship that is covering USD 13,200 of the total required funds. I have raised USD 11,071 through my crowdfunding campaigns on GoFundMe, Milaap and friends that have donated to me personally. I am also expecting support from friends in the form of loans and grants of about USD 5000. I am contributing USD 2,500 from my personal savings. It has been progressing positively and makes up to almost 75% of the funds required. In addition, I have applied for an education loan for USD 10,000 and am waiting for the approval. Hence, I am reducing my crowdfunding goal by USD 3000. For this dream to come true, I must raise the remaining funds before the end of January 2024 to apply for a student visa.

I come from a family that has been solely dependent on agriculture for the past 30 years in an increasingly stressful era of climate change, and they are not in a position to support me financially. I have been living in Auroville since 2016, a community that works in the spirit of contribution and volunteering with only stipends offered to cover basic living expenses. I have focused on following my dream, working to protect the planet instead of choosing a corporate life for money or yielding to the pressures of society by getting married and settling down.

I have this unique opportunity today, and I am in need of your support.

I am deeply committed to building a better future. With deep gratitude for everything that has put me on this path, I invite you to support me in this wonderful journey by donating and sharing my story with your network of friends, family and peers who might be interested in contributing. Every single donation, no matter how small, makes a difference and will bring me one step closer to realizing my dream and working for a better future for all of us.

I have attached my CV for more detailed information. Please email me if you would like more information. I would be happy to share more about my journey and dreams for the future.