Dared to be a bold ‘water baby’

K.    Ramya Sree
We are in a time and age where we have to preserve our water bodies; otherwise, the coming generations are going to face a severe water shortage. Many parts of the country are facing a water shortage. Not just that, the lakes are being encroached on, and skyscrapers or big towers are being built there, leading to many issues of late. And to curb this, there is a champion in India who is popularly known across the country, and even worldwide as the ‘Lakeman of India’.
Anand Malligavad is rightly called the Lakeman of India because this water conservationist and environmentalist has contributed to the revitalisation of over 23 lakes in India.
Doesn’t it sound amazing? Of course yes, and which is why Sony BBC Earth announced Anand as their second Earth Champion, their testament to a commitment to showcasing and honouring real-life heroes making a significant impact on our planet.
He has been driving a positive change towards a greener and more sustainable world, and he stands as an inspiration to the coming generations. Hence, without further delay, The Pioneer quickly got in touch with the nature enthusiast who began by sharing his journey from engineering to environment protection. He said, “I was motivated by a variety of personal and professional reasons, one of which is my association with water and lakes from my childhood, fear of the city going zero water, and selfless desire to protect the planet and its ecosystem. Water stress seems to be a pressing issue across the country, and someone has to think about it and act as if that is an urgent issue.”
He dares to be bold, influence, and impact society, which is what he says about the work he is doing now.
It wasn’t as easy for him to reach this place and build the contacts as we speak now. He had his share of struggles but for good. Speaking about a significant lake rejuvenation project and discussing the challenges faced during its restoration, Anand said, “We faced numerous challenges, including fundraising, gaining senior management support, and acquiring knowledge on lake rejuvenation. We had to engage and educate local communities, address land encroachment issues, and obtain approval from local leaders. Each lake required innovative approaches within budget and time constraints, with the individual primarily working alone. Managing waste and sewage dumping was difficult. Despite these challenges, We built a strong network of supporters, enabling us to reset our goals to rejuvenate lakes across India.”
He continued, “I have now built a big network of people interested in nature conservation through my projects.”
While his initial mission was to rejuvenate 45 lakes by 2025, now, with the support he has been getting from all corners of the world, he says he is aiming to rejuvenate over 100 lakes by 2025 across India.
During the conversation, he also stressed community engagement, which led to the success of water conservation. What else is ‘community wise’ all about? Let us hear from him: “Community engagement has been instrumental in raising awareness, mobilising action, and fostering a sense of collective responsibility for water conservation. We actively involve residents in various aspects of water management and conservation. Communities have made significant strides towards ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources. They join our volunteer activities and help maintain the ecosystem. Through various campaigns, we have amplified our efforts and brought in behavioural changes to reduce water usage in their daily lives.”
Collaborating with local businesses, schools, non-profits, and other organisations can broaden our reach in water conservation, he added.
In his overall journey, the Sansera Foundation and Malligavad Foundation have played a significant role, and his first restoration project, Kyalasanhalli Lake, was started when he was in the Sansera Foundation heading the CSR team. He feels that without community support and encouragement, that would not have been possible. “Adaptation, acceptance, and support for each project need to come from the community, as it is also benefiting them immensely in various ways. Be it while I was in Sansera or with the Malligavad Foundation, the community was an important stakeholder for us throughout the process,” added the environmentalist.
At the latest, he has clinched another height in his life by being recognised as the Earth Champion by Sony BBC Earth. He feels it is a positive acknowledgment of the importance of environmental stewardship and the dissemination of knowledge about our planet.
“We need to promote awareness and action towards protecting the Earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity, which is crucial for the well-being of all living beings on this planet, and such recognition plays an important role in the effort we are making through our work and for the country. Initiatives like Earth Champions serve as important tools for engaging and mobilising audiences in the global effort to protect the planet and its ecosystems. It helps with positive messaging amidst concerns about climate change. It demonstrates that meaningful change is possible through individual and collective action, which can be uplifting for audiences seeking solutions to environmental problems,” he shared, adding, “I try to make my messages interactive and visually appealing with videos and images and make the topic more relatable. I keep it simple and share real-life examples of the entire process of lake restoration and the challenges faced in the process. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among the students towards protecting their environment.”