Gulshan Dulichand Choudhary

Program: Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Letter of Motivation
Environment protection and Water resources is a challenging field and will get more
challenging and complex in future because of our high growth in technological development
and exponentially increasing need for water. Environment engineering is about improvement
of natural environment, to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for
other organisms, and Management of Water Resources is about sustainability of water
resources and keeping a balance between what is needed by humans and what is needed by
environment. In my view, these two areas is one of the most important concerns to us in
present and future. I plan to devote my masters study to obtain the necessary technical and
research skill so that I can contribute more in these fields.
My good performance in All Indian Engineering Entrance Examination, written by over six
lakhs students every year, helped me to opt for Civil Engineering as a Major in undergraduate
studies from National Institute of Technology, Calicut a prestigious Technical Deemed
University in India. The vast world of civil engineering begins to unravel itself in the highly
competitive and academically stimulating environment. Coursework and projects over the 4
years gave me strong understanding of various fields of civil engineering. Fluid Mechanics,
Quantity Surveying, Principle of Structural Design, Steel Design, Geotechnical Engineering
and Water Resources and the associated lab work were the areas that captivated my interest
throughout undergraduate studies.
One of the projects that I did during my undergraduate studies was Functional Design of an
Auditorium of 3000 seating capacity which dealt with designing the layout of various
parameters in auditorium such as acoustics, visibility and seating. My final year major project
was on Ground Improvement Techniques on a Problematic Soil. In this, we collected soil
sample of a known site with soil of low engineering properties. The sample was tested in lab
and its index and engineering properties were recorded. We selected three improvement
techniques and treated the sample with these three different techniques. The engineering
properties of the treated sample were determined and compared with original sample. A
comparison of the methods was presented in respect of cost and percentage increase in
strength.
I voluntarily signed up for a four week industrial internship at Grasim Industries Limited,
Birla Group. This was my first chance to gain practical experience in field of civil
engineering. The internship dealt with introduction to working of various divisions of civil
department in the company like Water Treatment Plant, Effluent Treatment Plant, Power
plants and Barrages across Chambal River. This gave me a practical experience of the
theoretical knowledge, I gathered in my undergraduate course. I was particularly fascinated
with the three barrages I visited during my internship. To explore more about the technical
details, I did another two week internship at Water Resource Department, Dhindori, Madhya
Pradesh. Here, I got a brief introduction to different aspects in the field like hydrology,
irrigation planning, canal design, hydraulic structures design and dam site selection. I also
worked with the department team in survey of a dam site and in design of a chute fall in the
spill channel.
Based on my knowledge and experience in the field of water resources, I was selected as
Assistant Engineer in the Water Resource Department of Egis India Consulting Engineers
Pvt. Ltd. after the completion of my graduation in winter of 2011. Egis India Consulting
Engineers Pvt. Ltd is an Indian subsidiary of a France based company Egis Group. I am

Gulshan Dulichand Choudhary

Program: Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure
KTH Royal Institute of Technology

presently working with the aforementioned company on a project namely Consultancy

Service for Identification Survey, Preparation of Detailed Project Report and Detailed
estimate of Medium and Minor Project in Narmada Basin under Group-B for Narmada
Valley Development Authority (NVDA). The project is on Narmada river, largest river in
Madhya Pradesh (MP). Due to interstate disputes over the distribution of rivers water
Central Water Commission of India allotted share of rivers water to each state. These states
have been given a deadline to utilise this allotted percentage of water. Narmada basin in MP
is divided into three parts Part 1, 2 &3. The project assigned to us comes under part 2 which
stretches from Omkareshwar to Gujarat state border, most of the area in this are arid regions.
These parts were then further divided into groups of sub-basins and then these groups were
assigned to us. We have to do an irrigation planning of 160000 Hectares in this assigned area.
Our work is to pin point feasible locations in Topo Sheets where an irrigation scheme can be
planned and prepare a Pre Feasibility Report (PFR) with a tentative Cultivable Command
Area (CCA) and cost. After approval of PFR we prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) in
which a thorough hydrology planning and design is done using collected rainfall data, run-of
data and contours generated from satellite data. Irrigation planning is done using the same
contours and orthographic images from satellite data which gives a Land Use and Land Cover
of the command area. Once DPR is approved a Detailed Design Report is prepared in which a
thorough irrigation planning is done by doing actual survey of the command area and detailed
design and estimate of all individual structures in the scheme. Here I got an opportunity to
learn and understand every aspect of the project from a very initial level and because of this I
gained an in-depth knowledge in this area of water resources. I also got a chance to design
complex schemes in which irrigation is done by linking storage from two different rivers.
This project has given me a lot of experience in planning, hydrologic design, structure
designing, estimation, team-working and presentation skills.
It is after a great deal of self-evaluation, I feel the need to acquire additional technical and
managerial expertise. I believe a Masters degree is best route for me. KTH Royal Institute of
Technology is one Scandinavias largest institutions for technical higher education, which
teaches Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure track at department of
Architecture and Civil Engineering. This course will provide me an opportunity to gain skills
in learning and implementing technical solution for applying biodiversity/ecosystem
techniques within KTHs specialized environment. KTHs multi-disciplinary approach of
delivering course will create a high standard professional inside me to solve problems being
faced in the development and management of water resources, environment and water supply
problems.
Being a part of Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Infrastructure programme in one
of the most prestigious technical university would be a golden opportunity for a budding
engineer like me. After two years of professional experience, I would like to broaden my
understanding of environmental engineering, hydrological systems and processes by this
course. This course will enhance my quantitative ability and enable me to develop a firm
foundation on hydrology and hydraulics. I look forward to gelling with electric group and
experience new cultures which would only aid my overall development. I wish to attain the
same quality that graduates of the programme do every year with my commitment, resolve
and mindset to excel.
Thank you for considering my application.
Gulshan Choudhary