PC: The Indian Express
Distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras, Dr. Parasuram Balasubramanian has donated ₹5 crore to IIT Madras for its Centre for Water Management and Policy (AquaMAP) with a generous donation. The aim of this contribution is to help the center in its long term initiatives in achieving sustainable water management solutions in India.
Establishment and Mission of AquaMAP
AquaMAP was established in 2022 as an interdisciplinary center working to solve India’s pressing water challenges. It envisions the development of smart water management practices, the formulation of equitable and sustainable policies along with developing the technologies to make it scalable.
Significant Contributions and Collaborations
AquaMAP has worked on a number of projects since its inception across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka regarding wastewater management and water security. Rural wastewater management projects initiated by them are remarkable and include a nature based solution project in Muthur village, Karnataka. The Karnataka government has taken note of the project and is considering the project for about 500 Gram Panchayats.
AquaMAP has also partnered with the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), to improve the levels of water quality assurance and data management as a part of the state’s ‘Drink from tap’ programme.
Alumni Support and Future Prospects
AquaMAP has been tremendously helped by Dr. Balasubramanian; Dr. Balasubramanian is a 1977 IIT Madras graduate holding a doctorate in Industrial Engineering pertaining to Operations Research. He is a founding member to its governing board, stressing the importance of water’s security and resilience. And his recent donation was to create an endowment fund to ensure that the center is able to continue to work on complex water issues across the country.This contribution is a part of growing philanthropic funding for IIT Madras.
The institute oversaw a record breaking ₹513 crore in the financial year 2023-24 through alumni, industry partners and individual donors, which is an increase of 122 per cent over the last financial year. Funds for these different initiatives are allocated, for example, technology research, student scholarships and infrastructure development.
Conclusion
Dr. Balasubramanian’s substantial donation highlights the importance of alumni in helping the institution achieve its missions. As AquaMAP continues to improve funding, it is primed to scale its solution for tackling water centered challenges at an unprecedented scale across India. Such modeling is essential for academia, industry, and alumni to collaborate to develop a sustainable response to important societal issues.
