Ovivo’s Women for Water presents: Prachi Bhatnagar

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Water Conservation

Prachi believes that working with water is a privilege because it is one of the five basic elements of life. ‘’Water is as old as the Earth, and there isn’t one drop that has been added or removed’’. Since only about 1% can be used as drinking water, Prachi is passionate about protecting our water and understands the importance of treating it with respect.

About Prachi Bhatnagar

Prachi had a keen interest in biology, which led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. During her studies, she learnt to appreciate the unseen and developed a focus on quality over quantity in her research. As she became more aware of environmental issues and their growing importance, Prachi pursued a degree in environmental science and engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. She was fascinated by the use of microorganisms in wastewater treatment and specialised in genotoxicity assay for micropollutants in water for her master’s thesis. Water became her niche.

After completing her studies, Prachi immediately began her career in the water industry. Working for various companies led her to understand the multiple sides of the industry such as consulting, contracting, technology providers and working with government officials. This experience gave her the opportunity to work along a diverse group of engineers. Giving her a unique and multidisciplinary understanding of her field.

Her Career in Water

Prachi is currently a Senior Process Manager at Ovivo India. Her role involves supporting the SiCBLOX™ team with a focus on the ecoBLOX^® SiC Membrane Bioreactor technology. She has remote access to wastewater plant sensors which allows for real-time observations and feedback to the technical service team, ensuring smooth and high-quality plant operation. She also leads a team of three engineers who work on membrane technology for various SiC applications. Her team is responsible for designing solutions for process engineers, preparing sales proposals, and product development. Prachi enjoys the unique perspective she has of the products as she is involved in every step of the process. This helps her gain a thorough understanding while collaborating with many colleagues worldwide.

Prachi’s advice for someone starting a career is to be limitless like water. To embrace diversity and maintain intellectual humility. Prachi strongly supports the Ubuntu philosophy: the best way to grow is by empowering and being sensitive to others. She believes that the universe is abundant, and setbacks are only guiding rails to a bigger plan.

Prachi’s journey towards sustainable water management is a testament to the power of one individual’s passion and dedication towards a cause. ‘’It’s up to us to understand the depth of what water is and treat it with respect. Water is not something that we have inherited from our fathers, the water we use is borrowed from future generations.’’