National conference in Ahmedabad brings together policymakers, experts and grassroots leaders to strengthen awareness on India’s water future; experts stress the need for dedicated university-level focus on water management
Ahmedabad, August 22, 2026: Reinforcing the urgent need for collective action on water conservation, Udgam Charitable Trust, in association with the Center for Water Peace (CWP), Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF) and i-Hub, hosted ‘Bharat Discourses on Water @2047’ at KCG Auditorium, Ahmedabad. The national conference brought together policymakers, scientists, water experts, industry leaders, grassroots practitioners and young innovators to deliberate on India’s water challenges and build greater awareness around conservation, responsible consumption and sustainable water management. Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi emphasized that water must be viewed not merely as a resource, but as the foundation of life, ecology and human civilization.
He said, “The vision must be ‘Water for All’. But this can only become a reality when every individual understands their relationship with nature and takes responsibility for conserving every drop. Water security cannot be created through infrastructure alone; it requires a change in our mindset, lifestyle and relationship with our natural resources. If we work together communities, institutions, governments and citizens we can ensure that water remains available for every life and every generation. Padma Shri Umashankar Pandey highlighted the critical role of communities and local participation in building a water-secure future. He said, “For solution to India’s water challenges comes from every village, every community and every citizen have a role to play.
When people take ownership of their local water resources, protect traditional systems and work collectively, water conservation becomes a movement rather than just a programme. Our traditional wisdom has always taught us to respect and preserve water; we now need to bring that collective spirit back into our everyday lives.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mayur Joshi, Managing Trustee, Udgam Charitable Trust, said Water security cannot be achieved by governments alone. It requires awareness, behavioural change and collective action. Our endeavour is to take the conversation from conference halls to communities and make water conservation a shared responsibility. The conference also brought India’s traditional water wisdom into focus, highlighting johads, baolis, kunds and traditional water-harvesting systems, alongside discussions on groundwater conservation, climate resilience, river rejuvenation, urban water security, innovation and water governance.
The conference witnessed the participation of an eminent group of leaders and experts, including Shri Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Former President, ICCR; Shri Binay Kumar Singh, Director, SPMRF; Padma Shri Sathpal Singh; Dr. Vivek Kumar, Head, Centre for Rural Development and Technology, IIT Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Ami Upadhyay, Hon. Vice Chancellor, BAOU; Shri Dilip Rana IAS, Commissioner of Higher technical Education, Govt of Gujarat ; Shri Umakant Umrao, Senior IAS and Principal Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Padma Shri Mahesh Sharma; Shri Chiranjivi Patel; and Shri Vijay Baghel, popularly known as the ‘Greenman of India’. The deliberations will contribute towards a proposed ‘Bharat Water Manifesto 2047’, with the larger message that a water-secure Bharat begins with every drop we conserve today.
