Recently, Big B, Amitabh Bachchan conducted a series of popular programs ‘Kaun Banega Krorepati’. Every week, on Friday he invited a philanthropist to win large sum to help the exceptional work they do for the community. Amongst the most popular like Dr. Prakash and Mandakini Amte was Dr. Rajendra Singh – the Waterman of India.
Dr. Rajendra Singh with his burning passion to help community, great initiative and innovation, rejuvenated totally dried up for decades, five rivers which have started flowing again. He was born in Daula, a village in Bagpat district of Uttar Pradesh. He is a BMSA Doctor – Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and surgery.
Following the completion of his education he started working for the government service in 1980, as a National Volunteer for education in Jaipur. During this time he joined Trun Bharat Sangh formed by Jaipur university officer and students and later became it’s secretary. Benevolent by nature he left work, because of his superiors indifference to development issues, sold his possession, took a bus to last stop to interior region of Rsjasthan, with four friends from the Tarun Bharat Sangh, to spread the importance of education. An elderly person there, convinced him that water is a bigger issue in Rajsthan than education and he should work with his hands on johad, earthen check dams, traditionally used to conserve water.
The human activities of deforestation and mining for long period in Alwar district resulted in very dry land with no moist even deep down earth. Even when it rained the water just flowed away on the surface. The technique of check dams and water conservation high up in the Arvalli range under his leadership, facilitated the rise of ground water level, increasing prospect of growing vegetation and trees. The success attracted the Forest Department and through his walkathon, the importance of water conservation spread. By 2001, with the help of villagers, TBS built 4500 earthen check dams in 850 villages of Rajasthan. Though, water level in the ground did not rise as expected due to mining eradicating water. He was awarded Stockholm water prize Award, Known as Noble prize of water, Jamanalal Bajaj Award for Application of science and technology and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community leadership. It is heartening to know that such inspirational service is recognized and rewarded.
Ila Kapadia
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