Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, July 9, 2025 – In the rural heartland of Greater Noida, a mechanical engineer turned environmental crusader is making waves—quite literally. Ramveer Tanwar, fondly known as the “PondMan of India,” has sparked a national movement to restore ponds, bringing life back to neglected water bodies and inspiring communities to embrace conservation. His grassroots efforts, rooted in a deep connection to his village roots, are reshaping India’s environmental landscape.
Born in Dadha village, Greater Noida, Ramveer grew up surrounded by ponds that once sustained farming, recharged groundwater, and fostered community life. However, by his college years, he noticed these water bodies turning into garbage dumps, choked by pollution and encroachment. Determined to act, Ramveer began organizing weekend cleanup drives in 2015 while working at a multinational company. These “Jal Chaupals”—community meetings to discuss water conservation—marked the start of his journey. By 2018, he quit his corporate job to dedicate himself fully to the cause, despite initial skepticism from his family. “I told them I’d get a job again if I failed, but I haven’t looked back since,” he shared in an interview with Ground Report.
Through his NGO, Say Earth, Ramveer has revived over 80 ponds across India, tackling issues like siltation, pollution, and encroachment. His approach is community-driven, engaging volunteers, students, and locals to foster a sense of ownership. In Bharana village, for instance, his work inspired neighboring communities to take up similar efforts, spreading the spirit of conservation. His innovative use of the Miyawaki method—planting dense, native forests near ponds—has further enhanced biodiversity and reduced evaporation, creating self-sustaining ecosystems.
Ramveer’s impact extends beyond restoration. His “Jal Chaupal” platform has become a rallying point for awareness, encouraging villagers to stop treating ponds as dumping grounds. Social media campaigns, where people share images of degraded water bodies, help his team identify new sites for revival. His work has earned national recognition, including a feature in Amar Chitra Katha’s Mann Ki Baat Volume 4, celebrating ordinary citizens driving extraordinary change. At the 2025 Climate Action and Sustainability Conference, Ramveer emphasized the critical role of rural water bodies in securing India’s water future, earning praise as a “forgotten treasure” of conservation.
From desilting ponds in Uttar Pradesh to supporting lake restoration in Bhopal, Ramveer’s efforts have touched diverse regions. In Kanpur University, his Talaab Taran Abhiyan campaign recently marked the revival of a 12-acre lake, with 350 kg of plastic collected and repurposed into benches for the site. His story, shared widely on platforms like X, has inspired millions, with users calling him a “true environmental hero” and a “beacon of hope.”
Ramveer’s journey is a testament to the power of individual action. With no formal funding initially, he relied on tuition income and later secured CSR support to scale his mission. His vision is clear: to restore India’s water bodies as vital lifelines for communities and ecosystems. As he continues to transform barren lands into thriving habitats, Ramveer Tanwar reminds us that one person’s courage can create ripples of change across a nation.