Hyderabad: Billionaire entrepreneur Anand Mahindra has praised 2012 batch IAS officer of Telangana cadre, Mr D. Krishna Bhaskar for his extraordinary achievements in water conservation in Telangana’s Rajanna-Sircilla district. Bhaskar’s innovative water management strategies, which led to a remarkable increase in groundwater levels by six metres in less than four years, have earned recognition and admiration from across the nation.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Mahindra described Bhaskar’s accomplishments as “astonishing” and emphasized the critical importance of protecting India’s rapidly depleting water resources, particularly given the country’s dependence on agriculture. “He gives us hope that none of our problems are insurmountable,” Mahindra wrote, calling Bhaskar his “Monday Motivation.”
Given our involvement in the Farm sector, we are all too aware of the challenge the country faces in restoring groundwater levels.
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 31, 2025
So no praise can be enough for this astonishing achievement by D.K.Bhaskar
He gives us hope that none of our problems are insurmountable.
All it… https://t.co/QVwxiS7x2R
Bhaskar, who took charge as district collector in 2016, faced severe water shortages in the drought-prone region of Rajanna-Sircilla. Undeterred, he launched a comprehensive set of water conservation measures, including repairing water tanks, constructing reservoirs, desilting smaller water bodies, and increasing overall water storage capacity. These initiatives not only revived the region’s water table but also contributed to a 150% increase in agricultural activity and improved access to clean drinking water under the Mission Bhagiratha project.
A key highlight of Bhaskar’s efforts is the restoration of around 699 water tanks, with 450 of them replenished in just one year. His strategies have been so successful that they have now been incorporated into the training curriculum at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, where they are being used as a model for effective water resource management.
Bhaskar’s work stands as a beacon of hope for India’s future water security and offers a practical roadmap for addressing the country’s growing water crisis. His innovative approach to water conservation continues to inspire both government officials and citizens alike.
