Shahadat Hossain

Shahadat Hossain is an engineer having a postgraduate degree in Disaster Management and an MSC in Water Resources Engineering from BUET, Bangladesh. He has contributed to many national projects around Bangladesh since 2009, on Urban Drainage Mathematical Modeling, Water Supply Network Modeling, Sewerage Modeling, Solid Waste Master Planning, and Climate Change Studies. He has authored about 30 papers in International & National journals and conference proceedings on Environment, Water, and Climate Change issues concerning Bangladesh. His research interests are Analytical Models and methods for the design, evaluation, and upgrade of Solid Waste Management, Watershed Modeling, Water Quality Modeling, Urban Drainage, Disaster Management, and Water Resources Engineering. Shahadat Hossain is the Founder and the Managing Director & CEO of O.CREEDS, Dhaka, Bangladesh which is a youth- led Research Organization in Bangladesh that actively works on the promotion of different Engineering Consultancy & professional practices to gather youths from all around the country to share their knowledge for Engineering Research & projects.

Niwarthana

Wasantha Padmini

Wasantha is a field officer at present in a project promoting rainwater harvesting. She has worked with communities in exploring the possibility of introducing rainwater consumption as a controlling measure for spreading the kidney disease CKDu of unknown etiology. She has a wealth of experience in working with communities to address their demand for water.

Nethara Macphearson

Nethara Macphearson was elected as Chairman of the Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi (RHAM) where he has provided leadership in the promotion of water harvesting techniques, developing and nurturing collaboration between government and NGOs, and identifying new funding opportunities and seeking investments for implementing rainwater harvesting. Macpherson Nethara led a team of experts in the Development of the 1st “Technical Field Manual on Rainwater Harvesting” used by Extension workers in the country. He has also contributed a book chapter published by the International Water Association (IWA) on the experiences of Rainwater harvesting in Malawi Through various initiatives, Mr. Nethara has facilitated the construction of various water harvesting structures throughout the country including over 200 Above ground Tanks, 46 Underground tanks, and 116 Farm ponds. Mr. MacPherson Nethara continues to work with communities throughout the country for them to adopt decentralized locale-specific water harvesting systems by creating a movement of water champions in each district. Macpherson Nethara is the Deputy Director of the Land Resources Conservation Department within the Ministry of Agriculture.

Dr Samuel

Dr. Manoj Samuel has developed and popularized many technologies. Among some of these are Water filtration systems for different end-uses (drinking, irrigation, and groundwater recharge), Polythene lined ponds for water harvesting and fish farming for hilly terrains, GA tool kit for groundwater management, Water Quality Decision Support Systems, Expert Systems for Technology Valuation. He has more than 150 publications to his credit with 52 research papers in international and national peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Samuel has also won several awards. He has worked as State Manager of the World Bank-aided Rain Water Harvesting Campaign of Govt. of Kerala. His research areas include hill hydrology, rainwater harvesting, groundwater management, watershed management, IP valuation, solar energy, and postharvest fishery engineering. Currently, Dr. Manoj P. Samuel is the Executive Director of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kozhikode, India

Deva Hapugoda

He is the pioneer in introducing the pumpkin-shaped tank to Sri Lanka. Mr. Hapuogoda is an engineer. He has extensive experience in promoting rainwater harvesting and efficient ways of water use particularly in Afghanistan. Currently, he is a director of the Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum governing board.

Vjayraj Shisodya

Mr. Shisodya is another passionate rainwater harvesting enthusiast who has contributed to the training of more than 1500 Individuals for Implementing Groundwater Recharging as well as Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting. He has also contributed to sharing his knowledge and experience in hundreds of webinars, seminars, and conferences as a speaker for the promotion of Rainwater Harvesting. Mr Shisodya has served as a consultant for implementing more than 2,46,000 Rooftop Rainwater harvesting as well as Groundwater recharging structures. He also shares his knowledge and experiences with many social organizations such as Rotary,Jaycee's,Hasiru ratha and many other environmentally supportive organizations. At present, he is the Director of the Farmland rainwater harvesting system, in Karnataka, India.

Mr. Zahid Hossain is a civil engineer and holds an MSc in Environmental Science. He has long years of experience serving as a development practitioner at UNICEF, the World Bank, WaterAid, the Institute of Water Modelling, and government projects. He has contributed immensely to implementing and scaling up rainwater harvesting in industry, arsenic, and salinity-prone areas. Mr. Hossain has published and presented several studies on rainwater harvesting in international and local journals. For his outstanding performance, he was awarded “Water Champion” from CSE, India, and “Honorary Member Award” by American Water Resources Association, USA. Currently, he is working at a government organization PKSF assigned to the WASH project

Pradnya Thakur

Ms. Thakur has long years of experience as in the environmental sector mainly Water Harvesting, Sanitation with an ecological approach, Wastewater, and Solid Waste Management. She served in the Rural Ministry, Government of India for Sanitation Policy from 2007-2010 and was further deputed at SACOSAN - SARC Policy meeting, in Sri Lanka in 2009. She has also served as a committee member of t Restructuring of Framework of Water Policy by the Water Conservation Ministry, Government of India in 2010. Ms. Thakur has contributed with her knowledge and experiences to many national and international projects with EU and German funding with GIZ, WHO, and UNICEF in Many States in India, in SAARC countries, and Kenya. She is also a trainer for all State Directors Government of India for Sanitation, Municipal Councils in Maharashtra for Solid and Liquid Waste. At present, Ms. Pradnya Thakur is the Director of Shashwat Eco Solution Foundation.

Dr Erum Amir

Dr. Erum Aamir is working as an Assistant prof at the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), at Islamabad in Pakistan. Her research domain includes statistical analysis and modeling to find out various potential determinants causing precipitation variability.

Prof J Tabatabae

Prof Yazdi, is a civil engineer. He was an assistant. Prof. (retired), in Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Center, in Seoul, Korea. He is also a member of the Iranian Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (IRCSA).

Sakib Imran Ali

Sakib Imran Ali is a Research Assistant, Institute of Advanced Research, United International University

Lalmani Wagle

Lalmani Wagle has over a decade of experience in the climate and water sector, with a focus on community resilience and policy advocacy. He currently serves as the Executive Coordinator at the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF). During his tenure, he has led several climate and water projects and programs, with a particular emphasis on community-led climate-resilient building activities and evidence-based advocacy at the national and sub-national levels. Lalmani Wagle holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

Ramdeep Sah

Mr. Ramdeep Sah is a civil engineer. He has worked in the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, Kathmandu, Nepal, where he worked in Senior Positions on various Water Supply and Sanitation Projects. He has also worked as Project Manager and as a Member Secretary in the High-Powered Committee for the implementation and monitoring of the Bagmati Area Sewerage Construction Project, in Kathmandu, Nepal. He also has served as Regional Chief in Dhankuta in the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage and as the Project Director of the Second Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project. At present, he is sharing his expertise at Smart WASH Solutions Nepal which is advocating and sharing knowledge, innovation, and advocacy in Rainwater harvesting and the WASH sector.

Dr Saqib Nawaz

Dr. Saqib has over a decade of post-graduate experience in water treatment, wastewater treatment and wet utilities design and execution. He formerly served as Manager of Environment and Public Health in the Government of Punjab and Manager Environment Division in 3W Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Engr Zaheer Gardezi

Mr. Zaheer Gardezi is a civil engineer and holds an MSC in environmental engineering. He has long years of experience in Planning, Designing, Execution, and Monitoring Development Programs / Projects; particularly, Donors Assisted, Physical Infrastructures, including WASH, Education, and Rural Access Roads in the Public Sector of Pakistan and AJK. He is well-versed in national and international working and quality standards and has an understanding of SDGs, Sphere Standards, Climate Change, Environment & Social Safeguards, and Sustainable Development. He has made significant contribution while serving in the Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Authority(ERRA) of Pakistan.

Nilesh Mankar

Mr. Nilesh Mankar is a mechanical at Mumbai Municipal Corporation for 6 years handling stormwater drain projects for controlling the flood situation in Mumbai. Thousands of old defunct borewells were rejuvenated by flushing & used as recharge shafts. He has been in charge of Borewell drilling, installation of handpumps/power pumps/solar system, and maintenance. Done innovative projects regarding rainwater harvesting. He is currently working as the District Council, Nagpur in India.

Sony Pun

Sony Pun is a Project Officer in Kanchan Nepal. She has been actively promoting rainwater harvesting in the rural communities of Nepal through the projects; Rain Communities, an Integrated Water Resource Management Project, and Blue School Programme implemented by Kanchan Nepal and International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance. She has work experience of assisting in studies related to rainwater harvesting, and climate change impacts on water resources and health. She is passionate about working on climate change adaptation projects especially rainwater harvesting.

Dr Jos Raphale

Dr. Jos C Raphael is the Director at District Rainwater Harvesting Mission popularly called Mazhapolima at Kerala State of India. Mazhapolima works for Well Recharging from rainwater harvesting. Hold masters from the London School of Economics in Social Policy and works with Water Management particularly on Rainwater Harvesting since 1994. Secured Water Air Food Award Denmark 2018 in the water category for Mazhapolima and won the Outstanding Award in the Korea Water Forum in the World Water Challenge 2018.

Prof Shanti De Silva

Prof. (Mrs) Christina Shanthi De Silva. Senior Professor and Chair of Agricultural & Plantation Engineering, Open University of Sri Lanka. She currently works as a Senior Professor and Chair of Agricultural and Plantation Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering Technology. Prof Shanti has contributed to share knowledge in several international local research publications, conferences and webinars.

Elenora Forzini

Elenora Forzini is a Ph.D. candidate at the Water Harvesting Lab, University of Florence, Italy. She has received a research grant and an award respectively for “Land and water management for sustainable agroecosystems in Mediterranean area” and respectively for Watershed characterisation and identification of best siting for Water Harvesting (WH) structures to restore ecosystems” funded by the NGO “International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)” in Pokhara region, Nepal.

Prof Polanki Sivaram

Dr. Polanki Sivaram is a development researcher and a trainer with long years of experience in the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad, India. He has contributed towards enhancing the capacity of multi-stakeholders on various themes of Rural Development including drinking water and sanitation by organizing over 175 National and International training programs including workshops, seminars, and exposure visits. Dr Sivaram has also contributed as a researcher for several research projects on different aspects of Rural Development. Currently, Dr Sivaram is working as a freelance consultant on drinking water and sanitation in India.

Sithara Kumarasinghe

Sithara is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum. She has a BSc in Town and Country Planning from the University of Moratuwa.