People's needs drove me

ajendra Singh, fondly called "Paani Baba" (waterman), is an acclaimed water conservationist. He is credited with bringing back water adequacy to villages, apart from fighting against illegal mining and taking up the cause of clean Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

This is the outcome of almost half a century's untiring work of training people on digging up water bodies, rejuvenating dried up ones, and educating them on farm techniques and suitability of crop patterns.

Singh and his team, Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), have toiled hard with locals to create 15,800 water bodies and rejuvenate 23 rivers in various states of the country. His water-centric crusades are not restricted to India; his missions for restoration of water adequacy with indigenous knowledge-based revival or building water bodies have already left a mark in over 15 countries.

The 65-year-old Magsaysay award winner is now on a two-pronged mission - working in fields with locals and on campuses with academia - for propagating indigenous knowledge systems among the younger generation.

Satish Kumar Sharma of The Statesman talks to the versatile environmentalist on his work and persona.

Q: Tell us about your early life.

A: I was born on 6 August 1959 in Daula village of Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh. I came to Rajasthan 46 years ago, and became a follower of Vinoba Bhave and J P Narayan. I joined JP's Tarun Shanti Sena. I did my first social welfare task in Jaipur in 1974, helping 44 families whose huts were burnt in a slum near a university.

Q: When did you take up water conservation as your mission?