Bangalore, Karnataka, India | 16th August 2025: India, once celebrated for its perennial rivers and lush landscapes, is now facing an alarming reality — water scarcity is no longer a distant concern, it’s a present-day crisis. Across villages, towns, and entire districts, groundwater reserves are depleting at unprecedented rates. Rivers that once flowed year-round are now seasonal trickles, and the country faces an unsettling cycle of floods and droughts that threaten food security, agriculture, and livelihoods.
Even during the monsoon season, rainfall and surface water meet just 20% of India’s needs. The remaining 80% — essential for drinking, farming, and daily life — comes from groundwater. For over two decades, these aquifers have been draining faster than they can naturally replenish.
The Art of Living’s Mission: Making India Water-Positive
Under the visionary guidance of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, The Art of Living Social Projects has launched large-scale, science-backed water conservation initiatives across India. Their mission is clear — to make India water-positive by restoring rivers, recharging groundwater, and empowering communities.
So far, the organisation has:
- Rejuvenated 72 rivers, streams, and tributaries
- Built 1,05,050+ groundwater recharge structures
- Operated across 8 states: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh
This is not just conservation — it’s a nationwide movement transforming ecosystems and lives.
Science Meets Sustainability: Localised Water Solutions
The Art of Living’s water conservation team includes retired ISRO scientists, hydrologists, geologists, civil engineers, and IT experts. Using geo-informatics, GIS mapping, and remote sensing, they create customised water conservation models for each region.
The approach focuses on slowing down rainwater to let it percolate naturally. Structures such as check dams, contour trenches, and recharge pits restore groundwater, prevent soil erosion, and turn seasonal rivers into perennial water sources.
In Vellore, Tamil Nadu, for example, groundwater levels rose by 12 feet after interventions — officially verified by the State Water Supply and Drainage Board.
JalTara: Transforming Farmers’ Lives
The flagship project JalTara is a game-changer for rural India. A small recharge pit at the lowest point of each farm plot, paired with two fruit-bearing trees, channels rainwater deep into aquifers, bypassing impermeable topsoil.
The results are dramatic:
- Water tables up by 14 feet
- Crop yields increased by 42%
- Farmer income up by 120%
- Waterlogging reduced by 100%
- Year-round employment up by 88%
With a 100% success rate, JalTara is set to expand to 5 lakh recharge structures across 1 lakh villages within five years.
Beyond Water: Restoring Ecosystems and Communities
The 4R approach — Reduce, Reuse, Recharge, Recycle — ensures water sustainability from every angle:
- Reduce: Youth-led awareness drives on mindful water use
- Reuse: Nature-based wastewater treatment for domestic and agricultural use
- Recharge: Terrain-specific structures to replenish aquifers
- Recycle: Bioremediation and phytoremediation for polluted water bodies
Impact at a Glance (As of August 2025)
- ₹1,74,52+ Crores worth of water conserved
- 3,45,00,000+ people empowered
- 2,90,64,668+ cubic metres of silt removed
- 7,00,000+ trees planted
As Dr. K. Satyagopal, former Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Corporation, notes, “The Art of Living’s ability to mobilise communities — especially women — has been the cornerstone of its success.”
The Central Ground Water Board confirms that many formerly “critical” regions are now classified as “safe” thanks to these interventions.
The Road Ahead
While India’s water future remains uncertain, The Art of Living Social Projects has proven that science-backed, community-led action can reverse water scarcity. This is not just an initiative — it’s a replicable blueprint for sustainable water security across the nation.
