In his Talk, “Hydrostan: India and her Water Stories”, Arun Krishnamurthy offers a fascinating perspective of the field implementation of water conservation projects across India, be they lakes, ponds, stepwells or cascade system tanks.
The online Talk in English is at 5.30 pm IST on Saturday, October 3rd, 2026.
About The Speaker:
Arun Krishnamurthy is an environmentalist and conservationist from Chennai, best known for his work in restoring lakes and other freshwater ecosystems across India.
A graduate in Microbiology from Madras Christian College, Arun began his career at Google in Hyderabad. His longstanding interest in the environment, however, eventually led him away from the corporate world and towards hands-on conservation. He went on to study at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and became involved with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots programme.
In 2011, Arun founded the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), a Chennai-based organisation that works on lake restoration, wildlife conservation, waste management and environmental education. Under his leadership, EFI has worked on the restoration of numerous lakes and ponds across several Indian states, combining scientific methods with community participation and volunteer mobilisation.
Arun’s work has earned him several recognitions, including the Jane Goodall Institute Global Youth Leadership Award, the Google Alumni Impact Award and the Rolex Award for Enterprise in 2012 for his work on lake restoration. He was also named a Time Magazine Next Generation Leader in 2022. His work earned him a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat broadcast where he spoke about conservation efforts across the country.
A keen communicator, filmmaker and public speaker, Arun has spoken extensively on India’s rivers, lakes, wildlife and the role of citizens in environmental conservation.