Centre for Desert Development Technologies
Turning Deserts into Hubs of Sustainable Growth
The need for a green, sustainable world has never been more acutely felt than it is today. The conservation and judicious use of natural resources for economic upliftment, employment generation and alleviating social inequalities is the raison d’être of the Centre. We carry out our research in the following areas:
Our Focus Areas
- The efficient use of water, land reclamation and rehabilitation.
- Developing affordable technologies to efficiently deliver and monitor water for irrigation use by employing a sensor network and microcontrollers.
- Developing Science and Technology for soil conservation and fertility improvement.
- Using biotechnology: tissue culture, genetic engineering and biofertilization for increased food production, livestock and biodiversity.
- Develop technologies to harness non-conventional energy sources, such as solar energy, for agricultural and human habitats.
- Educating, training, demonstrating, evaluating, and documenting technologies for sustainable desert development.
Solving the Water Crisis Through Innovation
Water resources are fast diminishing worldwide and the quality of the available water has also deteriorated over time. There is a need to conserve this important natural resource through education, training and a technology-driven systems approach, among other measures. Israel and several other countries have pioneered work in the field of desert development technologies. Ben Gurion University in Israel has developed technologies for conserving water in irrigation, particularly in drip irrigation systems. In India, some companies have taken know-how from Israel for the production of drip irrigation systems. Furthermore, rapid developments have occurred in integrated computer-based sensors and their associated wireless systems. By developing wireless sensor systems, a higher level of sensor technology is possible. Tissue culture and biotechnology have revolutionised the development of new plant varieties. Thus, there is a need to develop advanced technologies in this area for the conservation of water, energy and other resources to improve productivity.
Building Sustainable Futures Through Research Excellence
- Rainwater harvesting projects sponsored by RANA (Rajasthan Association of North America) are currently underway. Further experimentation is underway to make the stored water suitable for drinking, well recharging and other purposes.
- The development of intelligent sensors and computer-controlled systems for irrigation purposes has already been undertaken under a Microsoft-sponsored project.
- Tissue culture and biotechnology-based developments have been undertaken periodically.
- Several projects on Non-Conventional Energy Sources are already underway and can be integrated with the proposed project.
- Many other projects, including watershed development, water testing and training of manpower, have been carried out in the past.
- Energy-efficient house: For this purpose, four rooms were constructed with different architectural/ structural elements. Observations were made over three years regarding room temperature. Results were compared among static sub-shade, cavity walls and hollow roofs with other modifications.
- The solar house was integrated with a water harvesting scheme and a tank with a capacity of four lakh litres was constructed. An extended area around the tank was created to harness more rainwater and other rooftops were connected.
- Papers were published in International and National Journals and conferences of High repute.
Ongoing & New Projects
- Recycling and desalination of grey water for irrigation
- Assessment of groundwater resources in the Shekhawati Area using Remote Sensing and GIS
- Development of Aloe Vera processing techniques
- Studying the impact of desertification on nomadic populations
Building Bridges Through Global Research
Several exchange visits between BITS Alumni and faculty, as well as between BGU/BIDR Faculty, have taken place. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the two institutions. In addition to exchanging ideas and expertise, joint projects are being undertaken. Some examples are:
- A paper on the implementation of rainwater harvesting was presented at the recent International Water Conference in Israel by Prof. Rajiv Gupta.
- BGU is funding a joint study on Nomadic populations of Israel and India. Prof. Nirupama Prakash will travel to Israel during the coming summer to conduct this study.
Harnessing Technology to Transform Water Use
A technology-driven systems approach integrating various disciplines will be followed in the project. Specifically, the following steps are identified:
- The drip irrigation systems currently in practice in the country will be studied and a comparative study of systems developed in Israel will also be undertaken.
- A prototype of a wireless sensor-based drip irrigation system will be developed and field tested.
- A computer-controlled intelligent water resource management network will be developed and tested.
- Rainwater harvesting structures and sensor-based irrigation and water management systems will be field-tested at the Institute.
- Tissue culture and biotechnology techniques will be utilised for developing low-water-consuming plants, propagating certain plant species and establishing herbal plantations, among other applications. The new system will then be tested to meet the irrigation needs of these plants.
- An operation and maintenance manual will be developed for the new system.
- Field demonstrations and training will be undertaken.
Team
Our faculty have extensive experience in industry, research and teaching. Our strength is a reflection of their skills, innovation and drive.
List of Faculty Members
| TEAM MEMBER | Designation |
|---|---|
| Prof. Rajiv Gupta | Coordinator, C-DDT |
| Shri Gyanendra Singh | Chairman, Category Management Inc, Houston, TX, USA |
| Shri Shiv N. Sanwal | MD, Atlas Fine Chemical Pvt. Ltd., Nasik Road, Maharashtra |
| Shri K. C. Sacheti | Chairman, Galaxy USA, New York, USA |
| Shri Pradeep Bishnoi | OSD, OCL India Ltd., New Delhi |
BITS Alumni Supporting the Project
Mr Gyanendra Singh :
B.E. (Chem. Engg.), BITS (1968)
(M.S. Chem. Engg.), and M.B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
President, Category Management Inc, Houston, USA
Involved in teaching in Business Schools in the USA
Mr S. N. Sanwal :
B.E. (Chem. Engg.), BITS (1968)
Worked in the USA for many years at Rhone–Poulenc
A Chemical Company has now opened in Maharashtra at Nasik Road
Mr Kushal Sacheti :
B.E. (Chem. Engg.), BITS (1968)
Has been in Uthe SA for a long time and now owns a diamond and gems wholesale
company in New York, USA
How to Apply
Browse current openings, review eligibility criteria and
submit your application through our online portal.
For any technical issue during application submission, please reach out to HR at hr@dubai.bits-pilani.ac.in