Born in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Ramveer Tanwar grew up surrounded by clean, vibrant ponds teeming with life. As a child, these ponds were his playground, a source of joy and community.
As he grew older, he witnessed their transformation into garbage dumps. “There were ponds where my friends and I swam, sometimes we even accidentally drank its water. Now, imagine how difficult it is to explain this to children today,” he says.
Determined to restore these vital water bodies, Ramveer left his corporate job to pursue his passion for pond conservation. Despite facing scepticism from his family and community — who questioned the respectability and practicality of his mission — he persevered.
“It’s now or never! We will keep working until people’s mindset changes,” he declares.
So far, he has cleaned more than 80 ponds, filled with debris, dead animals, and even dangerous creatures like snakes and scorpions. “This work frequently puts my life at risk, but regardless of the weather, be it rain or storm, I continue working tirelessly,” he adds.
Ramveer’s journey has not been easy. From battling limited funds to confronting encroachers, his path has been fraught with challenges. Yet his relentless dedication has galvanised a team of over 500 volunteers. Together, they dive into murky waters, often risking their safety to bring life back to these neglected ponds.
His work has not gone unnoticed; even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised his efforts. But for Ramveer, the mission is far from over. “Unfortunately, our water bodies now resemble landfill sites. I will continue cleaning them until people change their mentalities,” he pledges.
Edited by Aruanava Banerjee
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