Dr Veena Srinivasan Wins Prestigious IWA Award

She was recognised for advancing research in emerging fields such as socio-hydrology, and for her efforts in translating science into impact through WELL Labs.

    Founder and Executive Director of Bengaluru-based WELL Labs, Dr Veena Srinivasan, receives the International Water Association’s Water and Development Award for Research from Tom Mollenkopf, IWA President and Board Member, at Kigali, Rwanda on Sunday. Credit: IWA
    Founder and Executive Director of WELL Labs, Dr Veena Srinivasan, receives the International Water Association’s Water and Development Award for Research from Tom Mollenkopf, IWA President and Board Member, at Kigali, Rwanda on December 11. Credit: IWA

    Dr Veena Srinivasan, Executive Director of the Bengaluru-based Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs, is the 2023 winner of the International Water Association’s prestigious Water and Development Award for Research. She received the award at the opening ceremony of the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, on 11 December, 2023.

    Selected by a panel of global experts, Dr Srinivasan was recognised for her ‘demonstrated bravery and passion in pursuing emerging fields such as socio-hydrology, and advocacy for research in ‘living labs’, where the messiness and uncertainties of real-life challenges are confronted head on’.

    Her focus on analysing data and triangulating across data sets represents a significant departure from traditional water resources management methods, and has raised awareness on what kind of science is needed to solve India’s water crisis. The panel also said that her leadership in setting up and running WELL Labs goes beyond individual accomplishments. It is a collective effort that has left a lasting impact on water research not only in India, but globally.

    Dr Srinivasan said: ‘Being nominated for this award is such an honour and I’m very grateful. I am proud that my work has been recognised for laying the foundations of socio-hydrology as a discipline.

    I was particularly pleased that the citation called out the WELL Labs team as a whole for attempting to do something trailblazing. We hope to live up to the promise of this recognition and continue to generate impactful research and solution innovation.’

    The IWA Water and Development Awards recognise excellence, leadership and innovation in the water sector, with a particular focus on sustainable management of water in low- and middle-income countries. Dr Srinivasan’s award is one of two presented at the ceremony. The award for practice was handed to Dr Doulaye Kone, Deputy Director of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    This year’s recipients of the IWA Water and Development Award are Dr Veena Srinivasan for Research (second from right), and Dr Doulaye Kone for Practice (second from left). They are flanked by Tom Mollenkopf, IWA President and Board Member (left), and Kala Vairavamoorthy, IWA Executive Director. Credit: IWA
    From left: Tom Mollenkopf, IWA President and Board Member; winner of the IWA Water and Development Award for Practice, Dr Doulaye Kone; winner of the IWA Award for Research, Dr Veena Srinivasan; and Kala Vairavamoorthy, IWA Executive Director. Credit: IWA.

    Dr Srinivasan has over two decades of experience researching water resource management. In April 2023, she established WELL Labs, a research and innovation centre at the Institute for Financial Management and Research. This centre exemplifies her vision of co-creating science-backed solutions to foster livelihoods and to serve the environment.

    She chairs the Strategic Advisory Group for the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for UN SDG6, and will be joining the board of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in January 2024. Dr Srinivasan is also a Senior Fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). Her academic journey includes a PhD from Stanford University and a degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

    About the International Water Association (IWA)

    The International Water Association (IWA) is a global network of water professionals, researchers, and practitioners committed to achieving sustainable water solutions. IWA connects people and organisations to drive innovation, knowledge, and best practices in water management. Through its diverse membership and collaborative platforms, IWA strives to tackle pressing water challenges and shape a sustainable future.

    About WELL Labs

    WELL Labs is a centre based at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) Society, which works with governments, businesses, multilateral institutions and civil society groups to co-create science-backed solutions that improve people’s lives and livelihoods, and sustain nature.

    Together with Krea University and other centres at IFMR, such as the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) South Asia and Leveraging Evidence for Access and Development (LEAD), WELL Labs is part of an ecosystem of labs and research centres with a mission to help prepare for an unpredictable world.

      Please reach out to Kaavya ([email protected]) if you would like to speak to Dr Srinivasan.