Article S6.3 Irrigation Research: Balancing Technical and Social Factors Seminar Leader: Chitra Krishnan Independent Researcher, India abcks5[at]yahoo.co.in Krishnan’s doctoral thesis was titled “Tank and Anicut Irrigation Systems: An Engineering Analysis.” Her focus on the tank and anicut irrigation system was considered rather unusual within the institutional context of the Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Delhi, where her doctoral work happened to be located. Some of the researchers there were rather dismissive of the so-called “old-world” irrigation system, which she was interested in studying. The orientation of irrigation studies at that time was somehow more welcoming towards the “modern” systems of irrigation, involving large dams, reservoirs, and canal networks. Still, supported by ample documentary evidence of the ingenuity of the tank and anicut irrigation system, Krishnan chose to study this ancient design, hoping to unravel the forgotten wisdom associated with it. It was her intense passion for this topic, reflecting her wider concerns regarding the ecological and social harm of the modern systems of irrigation, which helped her stay focused on her chosen topic, against a variety of odds. Since 1947, more than 4,500 dams have been built in India, creating reservoirs that feed about 2 million km of canals. Still, it has not been easy to bring all the agricultural land under irrigation. Besides, maintenance of these reservoirs and canals has been a major challenge due to the problem of sedimentation. Krishnan’s research sought to reformulate these challenges by studying some of the ancient irrigation systems in south India, which have been functioning for more than 1,000 years without being clogged by sediments (Krishnan & Veeravalli, 2006). She studied the Grand Anicut on the Kaveri River--perhaps the oldest surviving water-regulator structure in the world still in use. It is believed to have been built in the first or second century AD. Conducting the research proved to be rather demanding, not only because the topic did not generate sufficient interest within the relevant academic community, but also due to the unavailability of data. Nevertheless, stimulated by her own interest in the topic and motivated by the broader social relevance of her research, Krishnan set out to access every possible source of information, including archival sources and direct field investigations wherever possible. She also designed an experimental set-up in the laboratory to study the flow patterns and so forth in an anicut system, under specified conditions. Of course, she successfully completed her work and was awarded the PhD in 2003. Krishnan’s doctoral work has eventually contributed to the current literature on how society and technology shape each other (see, for example, Bijker, 2007). The general message to early-stage researchers was to keep in sight the broader social and ecological relevance of one’s work, and to stay the course despite the hurdles. Commitment and perseverance are key to successful completion. Besides, one ought to keep an open mind and question any preconceived notion about a topic. That goes even for doctoral supervisors. Even if one is dealing with a complex and demanding topic, one can systematically build up the required academic rigour into one’s research. It is well to be reminded that no single doctoral project answers all the pertinent questions. References Bijker, W. E. (2007). Dikes and dams, thick with politics. Isis, 98, 109-123. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/512835 Krishnan, C., & Veeravalli, S. V. (2006). Tanks and anicuts of south India: Examples of an alternative science of engineering. In A. V. Balasubramanian, & T. D. Nirmala Devi (Eds.), Traditional knowledge systems of India and Sri Lanka (Compas series on worldviews and sciences, 5) (pp. 220-226). Chennai, India: Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems. Retrieved August 20, 2008, from http://www.compasnet.org/afbeeldingen/Books/Traditional%20Knowledge%20India/krishnan.pdf
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