Project Kudineer: Water, culture and agriculture

Dr. Rajendra Singh’s Inspirational Interaction with the students of VKP at the launch of Project Kudineer

Project Kudineer, launched by Velammal Knowledge Park (VKP) and Chitravathi Centre for Creativity (CCC), is a social responsibility project based upon the concepts of water literacy, water management, and water conservation. The project aims to make the next generation aware of water-related issues and promote sustainable water management, integrating it with the learning process and art. Project Kudineer was inaugurated on July 16 by Dr. Rajendra Singh, world-renowned water conservationist known as the ‘Water Man of India’, who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in community-based efforts in water harvesting and management.
In between the refreshingly informal inaugural speech, Dr. Singh left the dais to initiate a freewheeling interaction with the students.

“Your life has just begun, and the thought of beginning a life without water is unimaginable,” he warned in his speech, emphasizing the importance of water not just in our lives but also in sustaining the entire ecosystem, including trees, rivers, and seas. Dr. Singh stressed the need to value all forms of life on the planet, not just human beings, and encouraged everyone to envision a better common future.
Dr. Singh spoke passionately about the connection between a green planet, devoid of climate change, droughts, and floods, and the happiness of its inhabitants. He lamented the current state of the environment, highlighting the degradation of clean water, clean air, and clean rivers. He recalled that during his childhood, rivers were clean, but now, future generations are inheriting polluted rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna. He challenged the students to ask their parents and grandparents why they left behind a legacy of dirty rivers, seas, and earth.

Kick-starting the interaction, Dr. Singh shared the story behind Tarun Bharat Sangh and his water conservation initiatives. He reminisced about his decision to resign from his government job as an ayurvedic doctor 42 years ago and relocate to Gopalpura in Alwar, in the interiors of Rajasthan. At that time, the region faced numerous challenges, including health problems due to malnutrition, leading to diseases like night blindness. Poverty also drove some individuals to resort to dacoity.

In the beginning, Dr. Singh provided healthcare support to the people, but he soon realized that the root of the problem lay in the poor agricultural scenario, which compelled the youth to migrate to cities, leading to unrest in the region. Additionally, people had to travel long distances of nearly 15 kilometers to fetch water. To address these challenges, he embarked on the construction of small check dams to improve the groundwater level. This intervention naturally led to improvements in agriculture and uplifted the economic status of the people, and many youths who had left the villages for better opportunities returned.

The efforts of TBS gradually bore fruit in different regions, benefiting around 17 million people in 19 districts. Dr. Singh and his team managed to construct over 14,800 small dams without relying on government or corporate support. When asked about his hesitancy to accept assistance, he asserted that today’s democracy is more corporate-driven than people-driven, prompting him to rely solely on nature-oriented efforts.
Dr. Singh passionately emphasized that TBS works primarily for nature rather than humans. He believes that the true essence of divinity lies not in places of worship but in the five elements (Panchabooth) that form the core of nature.
According to Dr. Singh, community-driven, decentralized water management is the key to ensuring a better future for India. He stressed the importance of rejecting the culture of bottled water, which has created a market worth Rs 3000 crore, to address issues like water scarcity and pollution. 

During an earlier meeting VKP director Sri. MVM Sasikumar, Creative Director Sri. Murali Cheeroth and Director of National Institute of Design Madhya Pradesh, Professor Dhiraj Kumar, three books written by Dr Singh were released. He also formally consented CCC to publish his books in English and Tamil as part of it social responsible initiatives in connection with water conservation. In the meeting and interaction, he wholeheartedly supported the water conservation initiatives of CCC, expressing admiration for educational models that prioritize environmental preservation.
Recognizing his global impact, The Guardian included him in its list of the world’s 50 people who can save the planet Earth in 2008. Dr. Singh has also received the Ahimsa Award in 2018 from the House of Commons, United Kingdom, the Earth Repair award in 2019 from Seattle, USA, and the Prithvi Bhushan Award in 2019 from New Delhi, India.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Tarun Bharat Sangh, more than 1,200 villages across the country have achieved water security. Communities that were once deprived of water and trapped in poverty have been transformed. Additionally, the organization’s work has led to the revival of 12 rivers in India. These efforts have resulted in climate change adaptation and mitigation in a vast area spanning 10,000 square kilometers.

Dr. Singh’s global initiatives extend beyond India. In April 2015, he initiated the “Water Ethics, Justice, and World Peace Tour”, which took him to various countries in Africa, Central and West Asia, and Europe. This tour focused on the plight of refugees who had been forced to leave their homes due to water scarcity. Dr. Singh shared his wealth of knowledge and experiences, spanning over 40 years, to inspire young people and raise awareness about the importance of water and nature.