Roorkee (The Hawk): Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) today honored Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Ex. Director General, NMCG, with HRED River Ganga Rejuvenation Award 2021 at IIT Roorkee. The Annual Research Award recognizes and felicitates those with exceptional contribution towards Ganga Rejuvenation work of scientific, social, environmental, legal and financial nature.
From a Mechanical Engineer from IIT, Kanpur to an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service (1987 batch), Rajiv Ranjan Mishra has worked as Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in the rank of Secretary to Government of India and spearheaded Namami Gange programme since 2018 till recently. He has contributed for Public Private Partnership(PPP) in waste water management through Hybrid annuity mode and also in Affordable Housing. He also contributed for conservation of rivers beyond Ganga Basin through National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD). Namami Gange also has become a mission integrating different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through Water with core focus on SDG 6. He led NMCG to several international and national recognition including Public Agency of the Year Award by Global Water Intelligence, London. The esteemed award was presented by Prof. A.K. Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee in presence of Prof. Partha Roy, Dean of Resources and Alumni Affairs, and faculty and students of the Institute.
Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee on conferring the award, said, “Mr. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra’s contributions towards Ganga Rejuvenation are pathbreaking, manifold and sustained over a very long period of time. They are marked by his passion, personal attention, scientific approach and most importantly ability to take along people at the grassroots level as well as the political leadership. He has shaped government policy for Ganga rejuvenation in a manner that the impact is visible on the ground.”
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, , IAS (1987, retired), Ex. Director General, NMCG, expressed immense happiness on receiving the award and said, “Ultimate success and sustainability can be ensured with ownership of the river and its ecosystem by the people. People River connect is a sine qua non for a rejuvenated Ganga. And to think of Re-imagining, Rejuvenating and Reconnecting with Ma Ganga, India’s longest and most revered river is a herculian task. Therefore, the scope of the mission was expanded to go beyond cleaning to holistic rejuvenation and to include improving flow and ecology with environmental flow, afforestation, tributaries clean-up, nurturing of wetlands, natural springs, redevelopment of river fronts, sustainable agriculture and other aspects of basin management. Also, Ganga River Basin Management Plan by Consortium of IITs provided the comprehensive long term vision, thus, helping lay the foundation for Namami Gange Mission.”
