Meet the Pondman of India Who Has Revived over 80 Water Bodies in 7 States

Ramveer Tanwar breaks out in a smile whenever he recalls how as children, he and his friends would jump into the village ponds back home in Uttar Pradesh. They would frolic in the clean water, breathe in fresh air and even accidentally swallow water at times. It’s a joy that he finds hard to explain to today’s children, who only see wasteland where there were once clean ponds.

That’s why Tanwar, who is an engineer by qualification, decided to quit his job at a multinational company and made it his mission to bring back India’s ponds to life. His firm belief in “it’s now or never” and his perseverance have led to the revival of more than 80 water bodies in seven states across the country today.

Tanwar, who is known as the Pondman of India, cleans some of the dirtiest water bodies in the country,  often encountering dead animals, snakes and even scorpions in them. “This work frequently puts my life at risk, but regardless of the weather, be it rain or storm, I continue working tirelessly,” says the man, who has battled everything from limited funds and land encroachers to a doubting public as well as disappointment from his own family, who believe that cleaning ponds is not a respectable job.

Refusing to back down, however, Tanwar now leads a team of 500+ volunteers. Together, they have succeeded in cleaning over 80 ponds. In the process, they have restored ecosystems, revived communities and even earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Unfortunately, our water bodies now resemble landfill sites. I will continue cleaning them until people change their mentality,” he promises.  

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