About GuruJal
The Bridge Between Policy and People
From a Special Purpose Vehicle for Gurugram District to an autonomous force for groundwater restoration — building a water-secure India, one community at a time.
Vision & Mission
Water is the heartbeat of civilization.
It is the single most important resource that will determine the prosperity of cultures, economies, and the global future of humanity.
The Opportunity
India needs 35 million green jobs by 2047
India faces a dual challenge of environmental sustainability and rapid economic growth. With a population projected to exceed 1.6 billion by 2047, the demand for employment will be immense — especially as traditional industries face disruption from automation and climate change.
Green jobs offer a way to build economic resilience with environmental outcomes, empowering youth, enhancing rural livelihoods, and bridging the urban–rural development divide.
Our key strategies
- 01
Sector-wide investment
Channel public, private and philanthropic capital toward proven groundwater interventions.
- 02
Capacity building
Train and mentor the next generation of water professionals through fellowships and field work.
- 03
Evidence-based action
Produce empirical research and replicable SOPs that turn pilots into scalable national programs.
Water touches everything
Every sector of the economy flows from a single source.
- Agriculture
- Biodiversity
- Weather systems
- Industries
- Health & Wellness
Our Journey
We are the bridge between policy and people
Our story began as a Special Purpose Vehicle for the District Government of Gurugram, tasked with improving water governance. Embedded within the system, we gained a deep understanding of policies and worked tirelessly to address gaps in implementation.
We soon realised that water management demands more than governance — it requires a holistic approach. True change happens when communities, experts, corporations and government bodies come together to build solutions from the ground up. This realisation led us to become autonomous in 2023, with a renewed focus on transparent governance, community-driven programs and integrated solutions for multiple geographies.
Today we are deploying innovative methods to restore groundwater and scaling our solutions across the country. What began as a single drop is now a river of purpose, flowing with the resolve to make India water-secure.
01 January 2019
Built water governance from inside the system
- Created a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) sponsored by Hero MotoCorp and Raman Kant Munjal Foundation for District Administration Gurugram.
- Launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan in Gurugram in alignment with the newly created Ministry of Jal Shakti's nation-wide campaign.
- Sealed 200+ borewells and set up the Water Complaint Call Centre in the district.
- Recognised for best efforts by the newly formed Jal Shakti Ministry.
04 May 2020
Piloted technology to revive ponds at scale
- Piloted 7 new wastewater treatment technologies across different ponds in Gurugram District.
- Developed 80+ proposals for pond rejuvenation with the Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad.
- Complimented by NITI Aayog for the improved groundwater table.
01 June 2022
Codified what works into SOPs the country can use
- Our projects were recognised for their innovation by Columbia University.
- Built multiple SOPs to scale impact.
- Began impact documentation and creating reusable SOPs.
05 July 2023
Became autonomous and went pan-India
- Transitioned out of the SPV structure and became autonomous.
- Started working on projects in the Sundarbans and Visakhapatnam.
22 July 2024
Invested in the next generation of water leaders
- Initiated the WeForWater Fellowship.
- Strengthened implementation and field resources.
01 January 2025
Scaling depth, scaling reach
- Reaching 5 cities pan-India with innovative, context-specific projects that raise groundwater tables.
- Building technology for transparent governance and large-scale impact.
- Creating tools, partnerships and collaboration for scale and depth.
Leadership
Leading the way
A team of practitioners, policymakers and scientists at the helm of GuruJal's next decade of work.
Governance
Trustees
An experienced board guiding GuruJal's mission, finances and public accountability.
Mr. Ashok Kapur
Former Special Cabinet Secretary, GoI (Retd. IFS)
Mr. Ashish Dev Kapur
Trustee & Vice-Chairman
Mr. Kapil Jaiswal
Accountant, Whitehat Hospitality
Ms. Elisha Suri
Former Director of SD Apparels
Ms. Shubhi Kesarwani
Co-Founder & CEO
Awards & Recognition
Recognised for the work, again and again
From the Ministry of Jal Shakti to international academia, GuruJal's programs continue to be recognised for innovation, governance and on-ground impact.
2024KalaGram Green Impact Awards
GuruJal won the KalaGram Green Impact Awards 2024.
2020Governor of Haryana
Recognised by the Governor of Haryana for contributions to water governance.
2020World Environment Summit
Best presentation at the World Environment Summit.
2022Hero Group Social Impact Award
Shubhi Kesarwani, Founder & CEO, received the Social Impact Award for GuruJal from the Hero Group.
2019Skoch Award — Gold (Governance)
GuruJal received the Skoch Award for Governance in the Gold category.
Women on Top Magazine
Shubhi Kesarwani, a water warrior, received the Women on Top Award for her impactful contributions to the water sector.
Indian Nurserymen Association
Recognised by the Indian Nurserymen Association for continued efforts in ecosystem restoration and water conservation.
2025Best NGO in the Water Sector
Awarded during the launch of Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2025 — presented by CM Nayab Singh Saini and Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, on World Water Day.
Our Partners
Water binds us together
At GuruJal, we believe that true and lasting change is possible only when diverse stakeholders — civil society organisations, government bodies, corporations, experts and communities — come together. We actively foster connections, drive collaboration and work together to build a sustainable and shared future.
Government
Brands & Foundations
Partner with GuruJal
Build a water-secure India with us.
Whether you're a corporation looking to deepen your ESG impact, a government body planning a watershed program, or a community ready to revive a local pond — we'd love to hear from you.