IIT Guwahati, Australian organisations collaborate for water management reforms in India

A total of 20 participants have been selected for the first edition of this programme (10 men and 10 women) from central and state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project. 

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, along with Australia India Water Centre and Western Sydney University, virtually launched the first edition of the India Young Water Professional programme.  

The aim of the programme is to equip water professionals with necessary skills and networks that will better enable them to contribute to the development and management of water resources in India and to address the competency needs and priorities of the water sector in India. 

Manpreet Vohra, Indian High Commissioner to Australia, and Barry O’ Farrell, Australian High Commissioner to India, and Debashree Mukherjee, additional secretary to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, participated in the programme.  A total of 20 participants have been selected for the first edition of this programme (10 men and 10 women) from central and state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project. 

India-Australia collaboration in water conservation 

Indian High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra said water is a key priority area of collaboration between India and Australia and both countries are working actively on this front. The Young Water Professional programme will go a long way in institutional strengthening and capacity building. 

TG Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati said, “India is not running out of water, in fact, water is running out of India. However, the shortage in India is of storage, not of water. Even though Independent India since 1947 has built more than 5,800 large dams, the storage is abysmally small. We need to look at newer opportunities through campaigns such ‘catch the rain, where it falls and when it falls’ launched by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi under National Water Mission.” 

The  launch of the India Young Water Professional programme  marks  a significant milestone in the Australia-India collaboration in the  field of water conservation. The programme will be implemented by the Australia India Water Centre (a consortium of Australian and Indian universities). The initiative aims to provide a structured platform for capacity building with strategic and long-term investment to support the water management reforms in India. 
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