Who is ‘us’?
When we say ‘us’, we mean all of us who care about rivers and want to find a way to be part of their recovery.
Who we are today?
Paani Earth Foundation is a citizen-led initiative working to understand rivers as connected systems and make that understanding accessible to more people.
ForRivers.Life builds on the work we began through Paani.Earth. We continue to bring together maps, data, research and work on the ground. We also want to create more ways for people to explore rivers through stories, experiences and opportunities to connect and participate.
We believe that protecting rivers means looking at the whole system. The forests and landscapes where rivers begin. Their tributaries and water bodies. Groundwater. The people and communities who live with and depend on them. The water we take from rivers and the waste and wastewater we return. And the institutions and decisions that determine what happens to them.
Our mission is to help more of us understand our rivers, reconnect with them and find ways to be part of their recovery. Because what we know and care about, we are far more likely to protect.
The Work is Collective
This work has always been shaped by many people. Researchers, volunteers, students, communities, government officials and others have contributed their time, knowledge and questions along the way. Some join us for a particular study, a river walk, an event or an effort on the ground. Each adds something to how we understand and care for our rivers.
Just a few glimpses from the journey so far. We often get so caught up in the work that we forget to take photographs. So these six photos are just that, a few moments from a much larger journey.
On the field trip to Cauvery River :March 2026
By the river : January 2026
Waterscapes of Bengaluru : May 2025
By the river: August 2025
Sampling the Arkavathi River : April 2024
Discussion : A new beginning for our rivers – August 2025
The Organisation Behind the Work
ForRivers.Life is an initiative of Paani Earth Foundation, a registered charitable trust. The Foundation provides the organisational home for our work on rivers, bringing together research, public engagement and action on the ground. Trustees are Madhuri Mandava and Dr.Nidhi Paliwal
How we work
Maps, data and research help us understand what is happening to our rivers. But understanding alone is not enough. We also need to bridge the disconnect many of us have with the rivers around us. Our work brings together research, action on the ground and opportunities to spend time with the river.
