SARIC Rising Tide

56 AMR I TA S ARANG I I ND I A FAMILYAS TAPESTRY 57 My grandfather was my first mentor. And, I think I was the better student T he Indian state of Odisha is well known for the rich tradition of handlooms—each thread weaving a distinct element of the story. Perhaps in our own lives, we follow similar patterns, creating striking designs that tell of our challenges, successes, sorrows, and happiness. For Amrita Sarangi , one of those strands has always been about family. Her grandfather was in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and he pushed both Amrita and her brother to study very hard in school. grins Amrita, before becoming serious again. “After the 12th grade I was preparing to study medicine when my grandfather died very suddenly. Then there were all sorts of decisions to be made, including the one about whether I would go back to the field I really wanted to study: engineering. I was going against the thread here, but I was drawn to the challenge of designing innovative solutions to real- world issues. At that time, we were only expected to study either medicine or BSc Honors. I took a stand, one that my grandfather would have supported.” Today, Amrita works with the Grid Corporation of Orissa Ltd (GRIDCO), a public sector company focused on transmission and bulk supply of electricity and other related activities; her SKORCH Award-winning team works on renewables. Focusing on their growth, she observes, “I love this job. It challenges me. I should mention that renewable energy is not a new concept for Odisha. We have had about four modalities focusing on solar and small hydro. It remained that way for 20 years, until GRIDCO stepped in and took over. Today, we see a lot of progress in solar and wind, and a revamped website supporting these initiatives.” family as tapestry