National Institute Of Rock Mechanics

Working at the National Institute of Rock Mechanics means being out in the Champion Reefs area of Kolar Gold Fields. It’s a place with a lot of history, and you can feel it in the ground. Our office is in the 563 117 area of Karnataka. It’s dusty and hot, and the landscape is full of old mining structures. We are scientists, but we spend a lot of time looking at rocks and soil, so we aren't afraid to get our hands dirty. The building we work in is old and has that solid, heavy feel to it. Inside, it’s filled with pieces of rock, testing machines, and old maps of the mines. It’s a very practical place. We don’t have fancy carpets or modern art on the walls. It’s mostly just charts about rock stress and ground stability. The team here is like a small family because KGF is a unique place to live and work. We have our tea breaks together and talk about the local news. Sometimes the wind kicks up the dust and we have to shut all the windows tight. It’s not a polished corporate life, but it’s real work that matters for the mines and the earth. We’ve been here for a long time, and we know these rocks better than anyone. It’s just us, doing our job in the heat of Karnataka.