National Webinar on “Sustainable Water Conservation in the Perspective of Changing Climates”
On the occasion of World Water Day, Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, in collaboration with the Academy of Natural Resource Conservation and Management (ANRCM), Lucknow, organized a National Webinar on “Sustainable Water Conservation in the Perspective of Changing Climates” on March 22, 2025. The webinar was conducted on the Zoom platform from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, with over 200 participants including scientists, academicians, researchers, planners, policymakers, and students from all over India.
The online event commenced with an inaugural session at 10:30 AM, marked by a warm welcome address by the Convenor, Dr. Anshuman Kohli, Professor and Chairman, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry (SSAC), BAU, Sabour. Following this, Dr. Sanjay Arora, Secretary of ANRCM, Lucknow, provided an overview of the organization’s activities. Dr. Y. P. Singh, Senior Vice President of ANRCM, also addressed the audience. Dr. M. S. Hadda, Retired Professor from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, graced the event as the Guest of Honour. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Dr. Chhedi Lal Verma, Senior Scientist (Retd.), ICAR-CSSRI, RRS, on the topic “Epochal Water Crisis,” offering a holistic perspective integrating spirituality and scientific insights.
The technical session featured several eminent keynote speakers who shared their expertise:
Dr. Gopal Krishnan, Senior Scientist, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, presented an insightful lecture on “Application of Isotopes in Water Resources Management.”
Dr. Ranu Rani Sethi, ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management, Bhubaneswar, spoke on “Maximizing Agricultural Water Productivity through Groundwater Recharge Strategies.”
Dr. Bappa Das, Eminent Scientist from ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI), Goa, and Associate NAAS Awardee Fellow, delivered a lead lecture on “Water Stress Detection Using Remote Sensing.”
Ms. Sonal Kumari, Assistant Professor cum Junior Scientist, BAU, Sabour, presented her lecture on “Bio-inspired Hydrogel to Combat Water Stress in Rainfed Ecosystems.”
Dr. Bhabani Prasad Mondal, Assistant Professor cum Junior Scientist, BAU, Sabour, and one of the organizing secretaries of this webinar provided valuable insights on “Soil Moisture Prediction Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning.”
Dr. Chandrabhan Patel, also from BAU, Sabour, delivered an engaging talk on “Water Conservation Amidst Climate Change.”
The final keynote address was presented by Prof. Anshuman Kohli on the topic “Traditional Water Harvesting Systems of Bihar – A Critical Appraisal,” which captivated the audience with its regional insights.
To maintain participant engagement, an online e-quiz was conducted during the webinar, with winners and runners-up announced by the Convenor. An open house discussion followed, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and enhancing knowledge sharing among participants. The event concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Chandrabhan Patel, one of the Organizing Secretaries, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Sonal Kumari. Participants from across the country appreciated the webinar’s informative sessions and interactive format.
In recognition of the efforts of the organizing team, a lunch party was arranged to celebrate the program's success. Overall, the National Webinar on “Sustainable Water Conservation in the Perspective of Changing Climates” was a resounding success, contributing significantly to the discourse on water conservation amidst changing climatic scenarios.