Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is establishing a new interdisciplinary water management and policy centre ‘AquaMAP' with an aim to solve water problems in India.
The Centre will provide “smart solutions for challenging water problems by designing scalable models by leveraging innovative technologies”, according to the institute. These models would be implemented at chosen locations across the country, as a proof of concept, it said.
For the new centre, IIT Madras alumni Parasuram Balasubramanian, CEO, Theme Work Analytics and Krishnan Narayanan, President, itihaasa Research and Digital have committed a seed grant of Rs 3 crore for two years.
Thanking the alumni for their support, Prof Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), said, “I am thankful to our alumni, Dr. Parasuram Balasubramanian and Mr. Krishnan Narayanan who have given their time, treasure and talent and helped shape this initiative on water management, a topic of immense national importance. This initiative is also special because we have conceived a unique Alumni-Engagement Model to support the professors at AquaMAP.”
Mr Balasubramanian said, “A majority of India's water issues require astute and effective management practices for their solution. We can learn a lot from setting up water innovation villages/towns and running water-themed grand challenges. I hope that AquaMAP proves to be a demonstrated model of success through the collaborative working of community, industry, academia, and technology professionals.”
“I am glad that I could leverage my water-startup experience in India in shaping the vision of AquaMAP. I am also delighted as an alumnus to give back my time to the institute. Since we have made alumni-engagement central to this initiative, other alumni with expertise in water domain can now apply to become a Fellow, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Project Grand Masters, or volunteers at AquaMAP, said Mr Narayanan.