Healing India's Rivers: The Art of Living's Water Revolution

BENGALURU, India, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- India's water story is one of contrasts - rivers that once nurtured entire civilisations now lie choked or forgotten, while cities that flourished around lakes and tanks now struggle to quench their thirst. It is not a distant crisis; it is lived every day in the dry taps of Bengaluru, the failed harvests in Maharashtra, and the abandoned fields of Tamil Nadu.

And yet, across this thirsty land, a revival is taking shape. Since 2013, The Art of Living Social Projects under the vision of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has been reimagining water conservation. What began as a response to shrinking rivers has grown into a movement that has touched more 3,45,00,000 lives across 20,000 villages. Over 1,05,050 recharge structures now dot the countryside, 2,90,64,668 cubic metres of silt have been cleared, and 59,000 square kilometres of land have been restored. The outcome is more than just the conservation of 1,74,52+ crore litres of water, it is the return of life itself.

In Karnataka, the change is visible in the basins of the Kumudvathi, Vedavathi, and Palar rivers. Here, thousands of recharge structures allow rainwater to sink naturally into the soil. Villagers, once accustomed to parched wells, now see them brimming again. Fields that lay abandoned have been coaxed back into fertility. With 1,73,550+ trees planted and 96,000+ cubic metres desilted, over 13,078+ villages have felt this renewal firsthand. Farmers speak of hope in the same breath as harvests, for water has once again become their ally.

The urgency of this work becomes even sharper when one turns to Bengaluru. A city celebrated for its gardens and lakes has, within decades, lost over a thousand per cent of its green cover to unplanned growth. Groundwater units - from Yelahanka to Anekal, Nelamangala to Devanahalli - are officially overexploited. Borewells sink deeper and deeper, only to come up dry. The Art of Living Social Projects is actively tackling the Bengaluru water crisis and restoring the South Pennar River basins across Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Bengaluru Rural, using boulder checks, recharge wells, water pools, and injection wells in collaboration with government agencies and CSR partners.

In Tamil Nadu, the Naganadhi River tells a compelling story. Dry for nearly two decades, it has found new life not through machines but through the hands of women. More than 44,000 of them, trained under MGNREGA and supported by The Art of Living Social Projects, built recharge wells and soil structures that raised groundwater levels by up to eight metres. Farmers who once grew nothing now harvest three crops a year. The revival has spread to 25 more streams/rivers across 15 districts, earning praise from the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat and recognition from the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Yet perhaps its greatest achievement is the transformation of women into leaders, income earners, and custodians of their land.

In Telangana, the story continues in Sangareddy, where 1,250 JalTara structures are being constructed through CSR support. Three hundred are already complete, quietly working to replenish groundwater and secure agriculture for the long run.

And in Andhra Pradesh, fresh momentum gathers. Here, Managed Aquifer Recharge techniques are being used to counter the depletion caused by deforestation, overuse, and erratic rains. In partnership with the State Panchayat Raj Department, The Art of Living has begun a basin-wide revival of the rivers in Kadapa and Anantapur. Training is complete in Kadapa; in Muddanur, 400 recharge structures are already in place, with hundreds more to follow.

Taken together, these efforts sketch a powerful portrait of possibility. India's rivers are not gone beyond recall; they are waiting for care, science, and community effort to flow again. Karnataka shows how rivers can be coaxed back to life. Bengaluru demonstrates that even cities can change course. Tamil Nadu proves that women's leadership can revive not just rivers but entire societies. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh remind people that collaboration is the key to scale. And beyond them, across the length and breadth of the nation, similar stories are quietly unfolding.

The Art of Living Social Projects' work is not simply about replenishing water tables. It is about restoring dignity to farmers, stability to cities, and hope to communities. It is about proving that abundance can return – if one cares to nurture it, offering a real solution for the water crisis while cementing its reputation as best NGO for social work in India.

About The Art of Living Social Projects

The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational, and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, seeks to make a lasting impact on India's water challenges. Through its River Rejuvenation Project, the organisation actively addresses water scarcity, restoring rivers, reviving ecosystems, and improving the lives of communities across the country.

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