UMD 2026 India Trip Reflections

Public Health Beyond Borders at the University of Maryland recently went on their annual trip to India in January of 2026. Members of the team reflected on their experiences below.

Dentist shadowing - Daniella Militello

While in India, I had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Naveen at Banaras Hindu University’s Faculty of Dental Sciences. He showed a small group of us around the dental institute and explained his role as a public health dentist. Much of his work focuses on educating children about oral hygiene, including proper brushing techniques and which foods to avoid to prevent dental disease. He shared openly that dentistry in the United States is about 20 years ahead of India, which was interesting to hear. We learned that the institute was highly competitive, with many students ranking in the top 100 out of 25,000 on a national dental exam. Dr. Naveen also introduced the group and myself to different dental specialties and to the dean, a kindness and opportunity that I never would have dreamed of.

Drinking water sampling + WQ survey - Shruthi Kishore

During our trip to Varanasi, I got the opportunity to get to know some of the families in rural Varanasi thanks to generous help from The Southpoint School. While there, I got to ask questions about their livelihood, specifically, what they thought about their drinking water. Some questions that I asked were what they thought about the quality of their drinking water, where they get their drinking water from, and if so, what methods of filtration their family uses in order to ensure that their drinking water is safe to drink, if any. In addition to having the amazing opportunity to get to know these families, I also got the chance to collect water samples from each of the homes, which I, along with other members of the team, were able to test for the presence of E.coli and Coliforms at the microbiology lab at Banaras Hindu University.

WQ workshop at Southpoint/BHU - Bivika Adhikari

During our time in India, I had the opportunity to present an informational workshop to kids at Southpoint School and BHU Girl’s school about E. coli and safe drinking water practices. I used an illustrated booklet that followed the journey of an E. coli bacterium named “Esha” that travels through a canal into a drinking water well. The idea of the story was to teach students the importance of boiling their drinking water. Through the workshop, we also asked questions to gauge student’s understanding and used a pre and post assessment. Many students were eager to open the booklets even before the workshop began. Their feedback was very thoughtful and funny, and many were very excited to take the booklets home to share with their families.

Lab work - Sachin Parikh

The most rewarding part of my first trip with PHBB was having the opportunity to translate knowledge and experience from my other public health-related extracurriculars to our work in Varanasi. In College Park, I work in a lab where I help sample sewage overflows, isolate bacterial pathogens present, and analyze those pathogens for antimicrobial-resistant properties. In Varanasi, much of our time was spent in microbiology laboratories in Banaras Hindu University’s Institute for Medical Sciences. In these labs, we tested the samples we collected from drinking water sources and the Ganga river using the exact same techniques as I did in the lab back home. This both allowed the lab work to proceed more smoothly and gave us greater confidence that the results we informed the hundreds of people who depend on the water we sampled with were accurate.

Sunrise across the ghats - Vassily Schnell

I checked my phone, trying to figure out why I wasn’t seeing the sun peek over the horizon. The weather app told me the sunrise should be around 6:45, and it was already 5 minutes before 7. I chalked the anticlimactic outcome to the fog that seemed to perpetually linger around the Ganges, and Sachin and I decided to make our way back. We woke up that morning at 6am, setting out to watch the sunrise across the ghats of the Ganges. We stumbled out onto the street in the dark, making our way towards Assi Ghat. This ghat, the first of the 84 that ran along the river, was lively, even at 6:30 in the morning. We were offered chai, fridge magnets and boat rides along the river. We would end up taking the boat ride the following day, along with the rest of the group. During the boat ride, we saw both banks of the river and some of the most fabled ghats, including Manikarnika, where cremations were held. Around 7, Sachin’s voice cut through our lively chatter and the noisy rumble of the boat’s engine. We turned to see him, then turned back, following his pointed finger. The sun, prevailing over the fog, was strong and bold against the grey backdrop. To me, it represented the essence of Varanasi. Although it arrived late, its orange was undeniable. Our whole trip was filled with events like these, events that were unexpected but unforgettable.

Conversations with Asian Bridge India and Prismatic Foundation - Zoe Baber

My favorite part of Varanasi has been the friends we have made here. Having traveled last year, I had the opportunity to first connect with members of Asian Bridge India and Prismatic, and I am very grateful that I had the chance to continue building these relationships during this year’s trip. The Prismatic Foundation is a group of young LGBTQ+ social workers and allies committed to improving the quality of life for queer people in Varanasi and surrounding districts. They specifically work to drive social change via education and community building. Asian Bridge India strives to improve the lives of those affected by poverty, violence, and systemic discrimination, advocating for all who face barriers to basic human rights. One of their many strategies includes conducting educational programs and workshops to raise awareness about gender issues and foster meaningful relationships. During our trip, we had the incredible opportunity to meet with both organizations to learn more about their missions, the work that they are actively doing, and to hear personal stories from members. We also celebrated Makar Sankranti with Asian Bridge India where we flew kites and ate yummy khichdi, of course along with connecting and building community.