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Overcoming the stalemate on the drying Tista River: Transboundary water-sharing challenges in South Asia

Talk by visiting Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kausik Ghosh

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Flyer for Dr. Kausik Ghosh event on Monday, Feb 23, 2026. Details in post copy below.

When

1 – 2 p.m., Feb. 23, 2026

South Asia’s transboundary rivers are governed largely through volumetric water‑allocation frameworks that often overlook ecological dynamics and the needs of riparian communities. This presentation focuses on the long‑standing political negotiations between India and Bangladesh over the Himalayan Tista/Teesta River, where intensive dam operations and climate risks have intensified water insecurity and cross‑border water tensions. It highlights: (1) the history and politics shaping bilateral relations on Tista water‑sharing, (2) competing efforts to control the river and its benefits, (3) impacts on river health and dependent communities, and (4) pathways forward through an alternative, water and hydropower benefit‑sharing framework. The speaker invites a deeper conversation on building more resilient, equitable, and collaborative pathways for shared river governance.

 

Monday, February 23, 2026

1 p.m. - 2p.m.

ENR2 S225

1064 E. Lowell St., Tucson, AZ 85719

 

Dr Kausik Ghosh is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at Vidyasagar University, India. His Fulbright‑Kalam Climate Postdoctoral research at Penn State University focuses on developing a comprehensive framework for adaptive water management in transboundary basins.