Emerging Universe Blog

On the ground in India 2022

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On Thursday the 17th, the three of us arrived in Mumbai in the evening with as much fanfare as could be expected after a completely full 14-hour flight that was made somewhat shorter than expected by an 80 mph tailwind most of the way. The Peace Park Hotel, where we stay in Panvel, was welcoming as always. Nelson has stayed here since 1997 and brings guests here each time, so some staff remembered both him and Will. 

View of the Peace Park Hotel in Panvel
The Peace Park Hotel in Panvel

Our first couple days were all about getting adjusted, meeting people, and making plans. Communicating with people on the ground is always more effective than planning in advance. On the first day, we met up with Deep Lokhande, son of Nelson’s friend Vijay, and Deep’s wife, Siddhi.  After introductory conversations we toured their paper factory.  While at the paper factory we had the opportunity to attend the dedication of their new printing press for making lined notebooks.  It can process 250 meters of paper per minute.  Deep broke a coconut on the base of the machine as is the Indian tradition and we all shared in the sweets that were passed around.

Five people in an office
Left to right: Tim Leisman, Siddhi Lokhande, Deep Lokhande, Will Sands, Nelson Stover at the main office of the HKS Impex Paper Factory

That afternoon, we had lunch and got groceries at the nearby shopping mall where proof of vaccination is required for entry. The food court could’ve come out of any American mall, complete with a Pizza Hut and a Burger King – although it was missing what most Americans would expect for a burger!

On Saturday, we met up with Vijay Lokhande and got a chance to really sharpen up our plans for the following week, from our work at the Chikhale School to our visit to the Environmental Education Center in Talegaon. In the evening, we toured Vijay’s new medical building, construction of which is being sponsored by the Panvel Maternity & Infant Welfare League where the Shushrusha hospital is located. The new facility is quite impressive and will make a huge difference in people’s lives in Panvel. 

A hospital operating room with a tour guide in the foreground facing away from the camera
The new major operating room at the Sushrusha hospital in the Panvel Infant & Maternity league medical building.

We ended Saturday refreshed and with a plan for at least 3 days at the Chikhale School and 3 days at the EEC.

Renewing ties, expanding horizons

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On February 16, 2022, three Emerging Ecology representatives will be making a trip to India. Our board president, Nelson, will be leading this trip with two younger colleagues, Tim Leisman and Will Sands. Nelson walks a well-trodden path between familiar places on these trips, including three previous trips with Will to visit the Chikhale School (See map)). Tim is traveling to India for the first time.

 After arriving at the Mumbai international airport, we will head to Panvel in Navi Mumbai, where we’ll be staying at the Peace Park Hotel. The Peace Park is a 20 minute rickshaw ride from the Chikhale School. During seven years of support for the Chikhale School, Emerging Ecology has sent nearly $30,000 to ICA India for various programs and activities at the school.  Since Emerging Ecology was founded, we have supported electronic interchange between classes of 11th grade Chikhale students and students from participating schools in the Piedmont Triad through our Global Classroom program.  These interchanges expanded the worldview of participants on both sides of the dialogue.  Our trip this year will focus on building out a new curriculum with the faculty and students at Chikhale and improving technical capacity at the school to enhance our future programming.

 On the 24th of February, while Will stays in Panvel and focuses on connecting with alumni of the school, Nelson and Tim will leave Panvel and head to Talegaon, where they will stay at ICA India’s Environmental Education Center. The Environmental Education Center provides a residential training facility for up to 20 people.  It serves as the hub for ICA India’s work with villages and urban neighborhoods. Nelson will be introducing Tim to colleagues and friends associated with ICA India, a peer organization to Emerging Ecology that conducts similar grassroots-level ecological stewardship programming. The two will observe a village program and exchange approaches that we will test out and continue to work with each other on during 2022.

 After a week in Talegaon, Tim and Nelson will head back to Panvel to meet Will and reflect; the first week of March, the whole crew heads back to the US. We will conduct a virtual session where we report on the trip later in February. Keep an eye here on our blog for updates on our travels! Below, note the map snipped from Google Maps showing the region with relevant destinations highlighted. 

Our trip to India is supported through a combination of our own personal funds and the support of individual donors. We would like to thank Bill Bingham, Mark Green, Fred Lehman, Jacob Fulkerson and Lavon Williams in particular for their contributions towards this trip. 

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