MAM
Rajasthan taps into change as Watershed Mahotsav pours spotlight on revival
MUMBAI: Rajasthan is gearing up for a celebration that’s less about pomp and more about ponds as the Watershed Mahotsav flows into Ajmer on 6 December, spotlighting how community-led action is rewriting the state’s water story. Hosted at the JLN Medical College Auditorium, the Mahotsav brings together government teams, village leaders and partner organisations to reflect on one question that has quietly transformed the desert state, what happens when people take charge of their own water security?
The event will put the achievements of the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swalamban Abhiyan (MJSA) and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchay Yojana (PMKSY) under the lens, with teams from five districts presenting real on-ground shifts. Panchayati Raj members, local leadership and community representatives will share how watershed interventions have reshaped agriculture, storage and daily life. Senior dignitaries, including MP Bhagirath Choudhary and six MLAs from Ajmer, are slated to attend, underscoring the importance of the moment.
Piramal Foundation, a partner to the Watershed and Soil Conservation Department, is anchoring the Mahotsav to reinforce the power of Jan Bhagidari, a belief that durable water security emerges when communities co-create solutions. A short film by the Foundation, developed with the A.T.E. Chandra Foundation (ATECF), will be screened to show how desilting can measurably expand storage capacity and be funded through Finance Commission allocations. The film makes a compelling case for a low-cost, replicable rejuvenation model built on collective ownership rather than dependence.
The scale of progress already paints a vivid picture. In the past three years, ATECF and its partner organisations have rejuvenated nearly 1,180 waterbodies across 12 districts. Backed by FFC funding and implemented with the Piramal Foundation, the effort has been particularly effective in underserved areas 14 per cent of the rejuvenation has taken place in NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts and Blocks. The results are formidable: 1,191 crore litres of additional storage created, equivalent to over 10 lakh tanker trips, impacting an estimated 1.7 million people across roughly 1,700 villages.
Data from WRIS maps the road ahead. Rajasthan has approximately 82,000 waterbodies, of which nearly 49,000 are viable for revival. Aligning large-scale rejuvenation with MJSA could unlock water security for 26,000 villages, generate an estimated 33,210 crore litres of potential storage and save nearly Rs 9,963 crore in tanker expenditure. For a state living on the edge of the monsoon, the numbers speak louder than any speech.
The sentiment was echoed by Piramal Foundation lead of school of climate & sustainability Sangeeta Mamgain who said the organisation is adapting its Gandhi Fellowship model to strengthen natural resource management. “Through our collaboration with the Directorate of Watershed Development & Soil Conservation under MJSA in Ajmer, we aim to support machine-led rejuvenation of water bodies and contribute to a more climate-resilient Rajasthan.”
ATECF COO Amrtha Kasturi Rangan added, “Restoration accelerates when people, institutions and systems work together rather than apart. Watershed Mahotsav is a moment to acknowledge that shared effort. We remain committed to approaches that place people at the front and protect ecosystems.”
Offering a forward-looking view, Watershed Development and Soil Conservation IAS and director Muhammad Junaid P. P. said, “The journey ahead remains significant. By collaboratively shaping a clear action pathway, we can strengthen long-term engagement and secure durable outcomes for communities across Rajasthan.”
With stakeholders from across sectors gathering in a single room, the Watershed Mahotsav aims to be more than an event, it aims to be a turning point. A place where stories from the field meet policy, where numbers meet lived experience, and where Rajasthan’s long-term vision for water security gathers momentum one revived waterbody at a time.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
