“Just 1 year back, Kukudsath was as ordinary as any other village. We had a lot of problems and were wondering where should we begin?

“20 years ago, we grew one crop of groundnuts a year – the crop was always poor because the groundwater we used was saline. Salinity had crept in 15 kms from the coast and we even struggled to find sweet water to drink. A government pipeline delivered drinking water to us from 30 kms away, but by the time it reached us, we had no idea of the water quality.

“A 'neonatal death' is defined as a death during the first 28 days of life and globally, this period carries the highest risk of mortality, per day, than any other period during childhood. In 2014 in Farakka, West Bengal, the neonatal mortality rate was incredibly high - 43.85 out of every 1000 - compared to a national rate of 28.

“We noticed cases of stomach and digestive ailments coming into the Health Clinic so we decided to test the water.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow - I was 59. I'd just retired. And was broken.

Since childhood, I saw my father struggling to make agriculture profitable. I was very sure that I could do better. That with my hard work and skill, I’d earn more. But somehow, it never happened …

“In West Bengal, Mandals are known to be cultivators. So despite earning my trade as an electrician at ITI, I turned to the 30-acre family farm to work hard and build a business.

“When I joined as principal of Zilla Parishad School in Pimpalgaon in 2013, children from the community were mostly going to faraway schools for education. Teachers were even waiting to get their transfer orders and shift to other schools.

“When I joined as principal of Zilla Parishad School in Pimpalgaon in 2013, children from the community were mostly going to faraway schools for education. Teachers were even waiting to get their transfer orders and shift to other schools.

P.K.Laheri is one of Ambuja Foundation’s longest standing Board Members, and has had one of those careers where the mind simply boggles at all that was seen, heard and been a part of. He served as the Chief Secretary of Gujarat for 3 years and was the Chairman and Managing Director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited, Gandhinagar – responsible for the development of one of the largest water infrastructure projects Gujarat has ever seen. Oh to have been a fly on the wall …

Across Ambuja Foundation locations, a cadre of ‘Water Volunteers’ is the quiet, driving force behind access to water in communities – for both drinking water and livelihood purposes. Playing diverse roles, from monitoring water quality, to operating irrigation pumps, these water champions work long hard hours – for free – to ensure water is available when people need it. Who are they? And what drives these selfless heroes?

Through a recent study conducted on Solar Irrigation Pumps provided by Ambuja Foundation, Nabarun Sen Gupta, a rural development professional, shares insights and key features of the importance of such pumps inspite of the given challenges.