Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s REACH Fellowship Focuses on Water Stewardship in Rural India

Somaiya Vidyavihar University (SVU) has launched two rural water projects under its 2024–25 REACH Fellowship, a field-based initiative that places students in underserved communities to lead scientific and sustainable development work. Anchored by the University’s Centre for Achieving Sustainable Climate Action, Development and Engagement (CASCADE) and institutionalized under the Somaiya Institute for Research and Consultancy (SIRAC), the 2024–25 cycle is focused on one urgent theme: Water Stewardship.

REACH, short for Rural Engagement for Action through Community-led Holistic Development, is designed to bridge academic research with grassroots realities. The 12-month, full-time, on-location fellowship places students in remote villages within the Somaiya ecosystem, where they work closely with community members to co-develop context-specific, sustainable solutions. 

This year, two such projects are underway in Palghar (Maharashtra) and Kachchh (Gujarat). One involves the construction of a 10,000-litre ferrocement rainwater tank and a proposed 18-lakh-litre community farm pond in Haladpada’s tribal hamlets. The other focuses on improving water quality in Mota Varnora through pond revival, borewell recharge, natural filtration systems, and awareness campaigns in schools using water testing kits.

The fellows behind these projects — Bhakti Narsale and Prathmesh Gahandule — describe the experience as deeply transformative, both technically and personally. Working in unfamiliar geographies, navigating language barriers, and building trust from the ground up challenged them to step out of their comfort zones and into roles of responsibility.

Each project is led by a REACH Fellow (a research-trained SVU student) and a Rural Anchor (a local community facilitator). While Fellows bring technical insight and field research experience, Anchors ensure local ownership and long-term continuity. Together, they identify issues, gather data, and implement interventions that are both scalable and community-managed. 

“The REACH Fellowship reflects what higher education should truly stand for, relevance, responsibility, and rootedness. It equips students to listen, engage, and co-create solutions with communities. We’re not just building researchers, but changemakers who can drive impact where it’s needed most, at the grassroots.” Said Dr. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University

Reflecting on her journey, Bhakti Narsale shared, “We came in as researchers, but we’re leaving with far more. The REACH Fellowship challenged how we think, how we lead, and how we listen. It taught us that real solutions are never one-size-fits-all; they’re built through trust, empathy, and constant adaptation.” Prathmesh Gahandule further reflected on the experience, adding, “If you want to learn what impact actually looks like, step into the field. Programmes like REACH aren’t just about rural development, they’re about personal growth, about learning to collaborate, and about turning your skills into something that truly serves.”

Both Fellows are working in close collaboration with Anchors, local panchayats, and regional mentors to ensure each solution is technically sound, community-led, and designed for long-term impact.

Now in its implementation phase, the REACH Fellowship reflects Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s deeper commitment to connecting education with real-world development. By empowering students to work alongside rural communities, the university is shaping a new generation of researchers, practitioners, and rural changemakers, rooted in science, compassion, and action.