Water bodies in India face challenges like pollution, encroachment, and neglect, affecting our cultural, ecological, and economic significance.

Ramveer Tanwar, often called ‘India’s Pond Man’ has been working to restore and revitalise these crucial water reservoirs across India.

Born and raised in an agricultural family in Greater Noida’s Dadha village, Tanwar witnessed the dwindling number of ponds and lakes around which he had spent most of his childhood.

After finishing college, Ramveer worked for an MNC for two years. He quit his job in 2018 and worked for other NGOs before starting 'Say Earth' in 2020.

 Say Earth works towards pond restoration techniques and engages with local communities to raise awareness about the importance of these water bodies

This organisation has so far restored 80 water bodies across different states in India, and Tanwar believes restoring water bodies and wetlands will eventually help cities deal with the concern of dwindling ground water levels.

The restoration process, which takes about 6 months, includes clearing the water body, installing a double filtration system, recycling plastic waste, and planting native aquatic vegetation to enhance the pond's ecological value.

Ramveer’s approach is to engage the local community. He believes involving the people living around the ponds is crucial for long-term success. He believes India needs more than one Pond Man.