Geologists from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) set up the Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM) in 1998, driven by the idea that research should go beyond academic lecture halls. The aim was to design education and research programmes on groundwater that could help communities and organisations make informed decisions about managing this vital resource. The idea of using the science of hydrogeology in a participatory way, to understand aquifers and support community action in groundwater management, became the foundation of ACWADAM’s work and continues to guide its efforts today.

A month ago, Prof Himanshu Kulkarni, founder trustee and secretary, ACWADAM, became the first Indian to be awarded the 2025 International Water Prize for his work in gr

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