Mr. Gaurav Kapse will present his APS as per the details:

Date: February 27, 2025

Time: 09:00–10:00 AM (IST)

Meeting Link: https://monash.zoom.us/j/86374620046?pwd=ay5onPaR6lBrNNcO8yCKemDd7bn1QR.1

Meeting ID: 863 7462 0046  Passcode: 387205

Title: Acculturing Technology: The Indian Journey of Reverse Osmosis Through Regulation and Reverence

Guides: Prof. Pankaj Sekhsaria, Prof. Murali Sastry

RPC Members: Prof. Anand B. Rao, Prof. Mainak Majumder

Abstract:

This report documents the journey of Reverse Osmosis (RO), a drinking water treatment technology and its de-territorialisation in the small town of Shirpur in Maharashtra, India. By de-erritorialisation, I mean how technology has crossed its original territory of exclusivity of applications and identity. Reverse osmosis, the most popular desalination technology worldwide, was invented to convert saline water into potable water. In Shirpur, the technology is extensively used to treat low TDS groundwater, municipally supplied treated water, and jar and packaged drinking water businesses. I show how reverse osmosis has crossed its original territory of “desalination” to become an “all in one” water purification technology. The widespread use of RO in Shirpur cannot be solely attributed to its efficiency or effectiveness, as my study shows that other underlying factors are at play. This report presents possible explanations for these underlying factors by building a solution-problem dilemma.

Further, while reverse osmosis is a membrane filtration technology, it is now widely identified as a ‘reverse osmosis purifier’. The technology has surpassed its umbrella of membrane filtration to be identified from a ‘filter’ to a ‘purifier’. I link this de-territorialisation to the power that this technology holds. I argue that it is the associated notion of purity and assemblage that endows the power to this technology. This power then helps it dominate other contemporary drinking water purification technologies, making it a popular choice.