Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the Waterman of India was conferred with the 2015 Stockholm Water Prize - an award popularly known as “the Nobel Prize for water”.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who is the patron of the Stockholm Water Prize presented the prize at a Royal Award Ceremony in Swedish Capital Stockholm.
Singh was named for the prestigious award for his innovative water restoration efforts, improving water security in rural India, and for showing extraordinary courage and determination in his quest to improve the living conditions for those most in need.
About Rajendra Singh
- Rajendra Singh was born on 6 August 1959.
- He is a well-known water conservationist from Alwar district, Rajasthan in India.
- He is popularly known as “waterman of India”
- He has won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in community-based efforts in water harvesting and water management.
- In 2008, The Guardian named him amongst its list of “50 people who could save the planet”.
Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS)
- Rajendra Singh runs an NGO called ‘Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), which was founded in 1975.
- The NGO is based in village Kishori-Bhikampura in Thanagazi tehsil, near Sariska Tiger Reserve.
- It has been instrumental in fighting the slow bureaucracy, mining lobby and has helped villagers take charge of water management in their semi-arid area as it lies close to Thar Desert, through the use of johad - the rainwater storage tanks, check dams and other time-tested as well as path-breaking techniques.
- Starting from a single village in 1985, over the years TBS helped build over 8,600 johads and other water conservation structures to collect rainwater for the dry seasons, has brought water back to over 1,000 villages and revived five rivers in Rajasthan, Arvari, Ruparel, Sarsa, Bhagani and Jahajwali.
Member of the National Ganga River Basin Authority
- He is one of the members of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) under Ministry of Environment, Govt. of India
- NGRBA was set up in 2009, by the Government of India as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganges (Ganga), in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act,1986.
Stockholm Water Prize
- It is a global award founded in 1991 and presented annually by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
- It is presented to an individual, organisation or institution for outstanding water-related achievements.
- The Prize is given in the form of 150000 US Dollars and a specially designed sculpture.
- King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is patron of the prize.
Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
- Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is a policy institute that generates knowledge and informs decision-makers towards water wise policy and sustainable development
- SIWI organizes the World Water Week in Stockholm – the leading annual global meeting place on water and development issues – and hosts the Stockholm Water Prize, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize and the Stockholm Industry Water Award.