Who Is Waterkeeper: Raman Kant, Hindon River Waterkeeper

February 17, 2026

Raman Kant grew up in Uttar Pradesh, India. Most of his family worked in agriculture, but when Raman was around 20 years old, he found within himself a desire to do something different with his life. He wanted to improve and protect rivers. The news surprised and even saddened his parents. However, his brother was supportive of the decision and even helped launch his career.

Things went slowly at first. Raman was very dedicated to the work, but he was also a relative newcomer to the field, with little to no funding. Still, his passion for protecting the environment persisted. During this time, around 2006, Raman did a technical study of Hindon River. He traveled three times across the river from Saharanpur to Gautam Buddha Nagar and made a map of the river based on his study. This map is still being used today by the Government of Uttar Pradesh as well as the Government of India. Raman also did a lot of writing related to water and farming. 

Things began to change dramatically in 2009 when Raman was invited to the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul to present his work to the assembled experts. He recalls this experience as a dream. All the expenses were covered. All the paperwork and logistics were resolved quickly. And it all happened so quickly. The next thing Raman knew he was being driven to the airport by his supportive brother. It was Raman’s first time on an airplane.

“This forum in Istanbul changed my way of thinking,” says Raman. “I decided that since the world is so vast, I too must think big.”

After this trip, Raman’s career and reputation began to accelerate. He first received an email from the World Water Monitoring Day team saying that they wanted to spread awareness about water testing. They soon sent several water testing kits to support this effort.

Raman was also invited to more conferences and meetings in countries all over the world. He attended as many as he could. At home, he was completely immersed in the work of rivers. In 2017, he was introduced to Waterkeeper Alliance by a colleague associated with the India Water Portal. Later that year, Raman became the East Kali River Waterkeeper.

A few years later, in 2018, Raman had the opportunity to do work for the Hindon River in Meerut with the then Divisional Commissioner Dr. Prabhat Kumar. As a result, Raman also became the Hindon River Waterkeeper. He would eventually relinquish his role as East Kali River Waterkeeper to his then assistant Sonal Bhushan, who continues in that role today. Both of these organizations fall under the purview of NEER Foundation, which Raman created in 2004.

Raman continues to serve as Hindon River Waterkeeper today. His work has many technical components, such as testing water and creating maps. However, there is also a part of his job that includes changing people’s perspectives on the surrounding environment.

“I am playing a role in removing the gloom that exists regarding small rivers in the country and want to convert that gloom into hope through my efforts,” says Raman. “I believe that every person of the society should understand their responsibility and play a positive role in the improvement of water, rivers, and environment.”

Raman and his work have been recognized the world over. He was awarded by the International Water Association for three consecutive years. He received the Water Digest Award from UNESCO twice. He was bestowed the Water Oasis Award, the Ground Water Award of the year, and the National Water Award from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. He was also honored with the Terry Backer Award in 2020 by Waterkeeper Alliance, underscoring his commitment to defending waterways and the communities who depend on them.

Sadly, in 2019, in the midst of all this success  Raman lost his brother, the one who supported him so well during the early days of his environmental career. As Raman began to recover from this great loss, the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a halt. Raman was not able to do his field work for many months. Where others may have been discouraged or sedintary, Raman took the opportunity to write a book about the ancient ponds of India.

Raman remains steadfast and determined in his work. He does not rest on his laurels or dwell on the tragedies of his past. Instead, he remains busy doing the work for the river.

“In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says that performing our duty is our obligation, and we should not worry about the results,” says Raman. “I believe only in performing my duty, and I do my work honestly. I firmly believe that the Hindon River will one day flow clean and uninterrupted, and when that happens, it will improve the lives of the communities living along the riverbanks, as well as the entire biodiversity of the river. Whenever the rivers will be clean and uninterrupted. Only then will my happiness increase.”