Central Ag. University

Working here at the Central Agricultural University in Tura is quite an experience. I’m based in the Department of Clothing and Textiles over at the College of Home Science. We are located in Dakopgre, which is in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. It’s a beautiful place, very green and lush, but the rain can be quite something during the monsoon season. My days are mostly spent in the labs or the classrooms, working with students on different fabrics and traditional weaving techniques. It’s not a corporate job at all. It’s about teaching and researching how to make things better for the local community. The campus is spread out, and walking between buildings can be a workout with all the hills. We deal with a lot of paperwork, as is the case with any university, but the real work happens when we are looking at the loom or testing different dyes. Sometimes the power goes out, and we have to wait for the generators to kick in. The atmosphere is very local; we all know each other and the students often come by the office to talk about their projects or just to ask for advice. It’s a slow pace of life compared to the big cities, but there is always something to be done. We focus on the practical side of home science, trying to keep the traditions alive while looking at new ways to use materials.