At the heart of our initiative lies the guidance and wisdom of our dedicated mentors.
Our Academic Mentors & Experts
Dr. Sunil Gorantiwar spearheaded many need based and innovative programs like:
Optimization of groundwater utilization with RS and GIS technologies as Research Engineer;
Efficient irrigation and fertigation technologies, optimized surface and subsurface drainage system design and layout, optimization of water resources utilization with simulation and optimization modelling;
Regional mapping of water requirement as Head, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering;
Digital technologies for precision and real time agricultural management as Head, Department of Agricultural Engineering.
He is also fellow of Indian Water Resources Society and Indian Association of Hydrologists. Currently he is a member of three working groups of ICID-International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage at International level.
Dr. Sunil D. Gorantiwar
Sunil D. Gorantiwar (Date of Birth: 20 June, 1962) obtained B. Tech. (Agricultural Engineering) in First Class with Distinction from Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (DPDKV), Akola in 1982; M.Tech. with First Rank from IIT, Kharagpur in 1984; and Doctorate from Loughborough University, United Kingdom under the prestigious Commonwealth Academic Scholarship in 1995. He further obtained a Post Doctorate from the same University in 2002. He presented his scientific contributions on several national and international platforms including in USA, UK, Israel, Germany, Iran, Uganda, Lao PDR, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
He was Professor for 15⅟2 years; Associate Professor for 9 Years and Assistant Professor for 13⅟2 years at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri. He also worked as residential full-time academician at Loughborough University, UK for 2 years. Alongside he worked in several positions at MPKV, Rahuri including Director of Research (2 years); Head, Agricultural Engineering (7 years); Head, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering (9 years); Chief Scientist and Research Engineer.
Awards and Accolades
He received several awards for academic and scientific achievements, some of the the important are mentioned here.
- “President of India’s Prize” by the Institution of Engineers (I) for the best paper;
- “Engineering Achievement” and “Outstanding Engineer” Awards by Institution of Engineers (India)
- State level “Vasantrao Naik Krishi Puraskar”.
- He received the “Best Scientist Award” of Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri.
- He is also the recipient of the best research project award for the ICAR- World Bank aided project that he led at MPKV, Rahuri.
National Recognition
He obtained and led several national projects such as
- RKVY aided “Irrigation water requirement advisory service”
- ICAR-Consortium Research Projects on “Smart Irrigation” and “Canal Automation” at MPKV, Rahuri.
Further as Director of Research, he was instrumental in attracting the research and development grants to the University from several agencies such as RGSTC, IWMI, RKVY, NHM and other State and Central Government Organizations and industries.
International Achievements
He obtained several prestigious international projects in competitive mode and led those projects.
- The World Bank aided CAAST project of ICAR-NAHEP on “Climate smart agriculture and water management”
- IWMI (CGIAR organization) – ICAR aided “Economic water productivity”
- GIZ (German Development Agency) aided “Climate Change Knowledge Network” and “ProSoil (Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security)”
- World Bank aided PoCRA project of Maharashtra Government on “Development of Crop Coefficient using Digital Lysimeters”.
Pradeep Balkunde
Co-founder and Director, Foundation for Environmental Monitoring
Pradeep Balkunde is a researcher with over 14 years of experience in research and development, focusing on technology for water purification and environmental monitoring. As the co-founder and director of the Foundation for Environmental Monitoring in Bangalore, Pradeep has committed himself to addressing critical challenges in water quality and sustainability.
Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge water purification technologies and devices for testing both water and soil quality. His tenure at TCS Innovations Lab and Tata Research Development Design Center (TRDDC) in Pune allowed him to lead the development of household water filters, significantly improving access to safe drinking water.Two patents have been granted and published 6 research papers on water technology.
Awards and Accolades
- Winner of the Innovation Challenge to Develop Portable Device for Water Quality testing organized by Startup India in collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the National Jal Jeevan Mission in July 2023
- Winner of Atal New India Challenge (ANIC) Grant-in-Aid Support offered by Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Ayog in 2020
- Winner of Safe Water Crusade Fellowship by European Union and INREM Foundation in 2019
- Finalist at the Tata Group’s global innovation challenge, Tata Innovista – 2012 for my work on Fluoride Removal Cartridge
- Finalist at the Tata Group’s global innovation challenge, Tata Innovista – 2013 for my work on Compact Water purifier.
Our Knowledge Partners
| Name of Organisation | Name | Contact Number |
| Foundation For Environment Monitoring (FFEM) | Pradeep Balkunde | 9503340111 |
| Waterlab Solution Pvt Ltd | Vijay Gawade | 9730255747 |
| Earthsight Foundation | Yuvraj Joshi | 8379058188 |
| Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (Agri university) | Dr. Sunil Gorantiwar | 9881595081 |
Deepastambha Charitable Trust - Team Members
| Name | Role | Email ID |
| Laxman Suryawanshi | Project Lead | laxman.suryawanshi@opash.co.in |
| Nitin Kshirsagar | Project Coordinator | |
| Ranbir Thorat | Data and Field Management |
List of Probable Mentors
Their commitment to sustainability and their diverse expertise drive us towards a future where water resources are managed responsibly and efficiently.
These seasoned professionals bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to our project, ensuring its success and impact.
We invite you to connect with us, explore our resources, and join us in our journey to make digital water management more effective and accessible for all. Whether you’re seeking advice, looking to collaborate, or simply want to learn more, we’re here to help.