About Us
River Research Centre is a non-profit Public Charitable and Scientific Trust with a view to create a space for studies on rivers, interactions with river basin people, river dependent departments, local self governments, government and other concerned entities towards participatory and decentralised river conservation, restoration and management. The trust has nine members. RRC was registered as a Trust in August 2006. But the activities of RRC had started as early as 2002 on an informal basis.
Vision
We view the river basin as the basic geographic, cultural, social and ecological unit for any development. Most of the present problems related to water scarcity, inequity in sharing natural resources, conflicts over resource use and exploitation of natural resources is due to the lack of holistic vision of a participatory river basin level resources conservation, development and management.
Mission
Our area of activities
Generate and collate database for river basins
Conduct research and provide technical inputs related to river basin management
Evolve river basin level forums
Enable communities in campaigns to protect their river
Inspire and equip children and youth for environmental protection
Encourage research among students on river basin level issues
Provide inputs in Policy, Law and Act formulation to the Government
Assist governments in watershed management and NRM.
Conduct education programs and camps for river basin communities
Internships for postgraduate and Doctoral Students for project work
Act as Resource Persons in decentralized natural resources management, water resources management and agriculture among local self governments, other NGOs
Consultancy services
Library reference facility for students and professionals in water management, dams and ecology
Members of RRC Trust
Latha Anantha
Managing Trustee and Director Research - Doctorate in Agriculture
Flowing Rivers and forests are my passion. Also talking to the young. Used to draw and sing once upon a time. Need to catch up on my traveling and reading. Once environment conservation and activism became the main lifeline, left my government job for good and has been steadily following that path. From Athirappilly Dam Movement in the 1990s, i have travelled a long way down the river which brought me to river basin planning and the urgent need of a generation more sensitive and caring for their rivers and forests and aspire for those days where communities will come together to save and revive their rivers.
S Unnikrishnan
Author of the Trust - Mechanical Engineer by degree, not at heart
Climbing mountains and long walks with nature and wilderness is my passion.Used to write and publish poetry regularly once upon a time. Since i became an activist, had to shift my focus and set aside my passions for a while. Again trying to re establish my passion for travel in the wilderness. The first meeting of NBA in Mumbai in my avatar as an engineer in 1986 became my turning point in life. After that there has been no looking back.
S P Ravi
Director, Administration
Analysing data and experimenting with culinary is my passion. Used to run a hotel once upon a time for a livelihood and then meet up with friends by the Chalakudy river side in the evenings which later evolved into the Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi. Since i turned my focus to Athirappilly issue , had to forgo my hotel. Presently i am more into data analysis and trying to bring together Chalakudy river basin communities for river revival. My daughter is teaching me that there are better things in life than just analysing data !
G Krishnan
Indian Economic Services by Profession ( but left it in a locked trunk)
I was an economist in my previous avataar. Fed up with cooking up data and preparing false reports for the Governments, i quit my job in the late 1990s and came back to settle in my quiet village. However the Athirappilly dam issue unsettled my peace and here i am working with these passion driven people for river conservation. But i enjoy it because i am also an activist and a wilderness lover at heart !
Murari Raghavan K
I grew up along the banks of Chalakudy river. The river bank was the regular meeting place for us friends. The friendship grew into the Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi and i became its President by destiny or choice ? Though i have a regular job, try to squeeze in as much time for supporting the activities of our group. I suspect My wife and son are better environmental activists than me.
Parineeta Dandekar
I grew up along the banks or Godavari and for me, one of the most beautiful and a profound sight is to see a flowing river, supporting life in its wake. With degrees in environmental sciences, and Integrated Water Resources Management, my goal is to work for protecting our last remaining free flowing rivers. I love working with RRC because of this shared vision. Because free flowing rivers are so rare, I am also working for environmental flows to sustain rivers. I wish that when my son grows up, he is still able to see the beauty of a flowing river and deep forests.
Indu Vasudevan
Since student days i was attracted to the unusual. After my brief stint as Agricultural Assistant in the government, i turned to supporting the activities of the RRC and CPSS. Managing the accounts and library of RRC has been one of my major activities. Presently due to many other personal commitments, i feel sad for not being able to devote much time to these activities i am most passionate about.