So why is research so important? With so many stakeholders taking a focused, localized view to tackling problems, there is a need for larger players to play a leadership role in looking at India's problems with a macro lens view. This helicopter viewpoint helps provide other players in the sector with crucial insights that can help influence behavior.

This is exactly what Ambuja Foundation aimed to achieve by investing in a focused research paper on Corporate Action in Water. With India undergoing a 'water crisis', Ambuja Foundation decided to play a knowledge sharing and leadership role in exploring how corporates can play a larger role in tackling the crisis.

With water being a primary thrust area at Ambuja Foundation, a Water Forum was organized, and in an effort to encourage more corporate stakeholders to invest in water, Ambuja Foundation in collaboration with Samhita, undertook a focused, sector research, to build 'the case for water' among corporates.

The study was released and shared among key, like-minded corporates at the event, and continues to act as a key industry resource to encourage more investment in water.

With an aim to understand the rationale of corporate interventions in water, highlight the catalytic role that water can play in development, identify the barriers to collaboration and make the case for corporate action in water through investment, collaboration and collective impact, the paper helped highlight many key factors that make an investment in water, the need of the hour.

While water is in a crisis situation, it can also be an impact multiplier. India loses 200,000 lives each year because of lack of access to safe water. 150 million women days a year are spent on water collection, approximately, a cost of INR 10 billion of labour a year to the exchequer. Environmentally, lack of sufficient water of good quality has impacted biodiversity with over 41 percent of mammals coming under threat. As water becomes more scarce, it has emerged as a source of conflict with several interstate water disputes in the nation.

The report also provided corporate stakeholders with 3 avenues in which they can develop strategies to contribute to solving the water crisis in India.

Ambuja Foundation has published many reports (with some available on our website) that have played a key role in shaping the narrative on development in India. Research helps inform and inspire other funders both in India and abroad, thereby channeling greater resources for India's development.

Ambuja Foundation's experience as an implementing organisation, working hand in hand with government, communities and other funders in India means we have our finger on the pulse in relation to on-ground realities and are uniquely positioned to uncover insights and bring them to the attention of key stakeholders.

Development organisations and leaders have a key role to play in the development and dissemination of research and knowledge papers to help inform debate, catalyse action and raise the bar on development sector work here in India.

To read the full report CLICK HERE