Meet The Woman Reviving Dying Lakes In Rural Karnataka

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“The power of a community lies in its ability to govern shared resources through trust, reciprocity, and rules created by the people themselves.” -- Elinor Ostrom, Nobel Laureate on the commons Kolar, once known for its gold mines, is today equally infamous for its acute water scarcity. With borewells dug as deep as 1,300 feet, many families walk 8-10 kilometres daily just to fetch drinking water. Scarcity has become routine. Yet amidst this crisis, Asha S, founder of Arohana Grameenabhivruddi Samsthe, is leading a quiet revolution-reviving lakes, empowering women, and building climate-resilient livelihoods. What began as an effort to save dying lakes has grown into a grassroots model of systemic change. Under Arohana’s leadership, more than 10 lakes have been rejuvenated, 1.3 lakh cubic metres of silt removed, and water storage capacity increased by nearly 13 crore litres. These are not mere engineering feats-they are community-led conservation efforts that restore dignity and resilience. Villagers, especially women and youth, work together to revive feeder channels, protect open wells, and set up rainwater harvesting in schools. Lake rejuvenation here is not just about water. The desilted soil enriches farmlands, enabling farmers to reduce chemical fertiliser use and boost biodiversity. Once-parched lakes now brim with life, recharging borewells and allowing farmers to grow two crops where even one was once impossible. With revived livelihoods, a local economy begins to flourish. Crucially, lakes are treated not as state projects or private assets but as commons-shared resources collectively restored and governed for the well-being of all. At the heart of Arohana lies a radical belief: development begins with women. Through its “desilting-to-farm” model, women earn equal wages from restoration projects and reinvest their earnings in livestock and household resilience. Asha’s journey has been recognised by Biome Trust, The Better India (as a Water Warrior), LEISA India, Climate Asia, and even on the TEDxBiome stage. Yet beyond the accolades, what matters most is how her model demonstrates that local, people-powered action can spark large-scale transformation. This is not just water work. It is relationship work - between people, land, and their collective future. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:00 - Water crisis in Kolar 03:13 - Arohana and their focus on lakes 05:03 - How silt is formed 07:40 - Benefits of desilting 08:41 - Process and output by desilting 11:53 - The struggles 13:13 - Awards and recognition 13:34 - Supporting the women 14:56 - The dream Website: https://arohana.1ngo.in/ ​Contact number: +91 9448903604 Email: [email protected] #kolar #goodfoodmovement #waterconservation