News: Why COP30 Feels Different (And Why That Matters). Read it here.
Parts of this site were translated using AI. Accuracy may vary.
News: Why COP30 Feels Different (And Why That Matters). Read it here.
Parts of this site were translated using AI. Accuracy may vary.
Friday, 7 November 2025 | By Climate High-Level Champions
NAME
Stutilina Pal
TITLE
Programme Director, Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN)
LOCATION
New Delhi , India
ABOUT
Championing Water Resilience from Bundelkhand to the World
For more than two decades, Stutilina Pal has been transforming one of India’s most climate-stressed landscapes into a living example of community-led water resilience. Working in Bundelkhand, a drought-prone region spanning 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, she has helped rebuild hope in an area long defined by erratic rainfall, groundwater depletion, and migration.
Through her leadership at SRIJAN (Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action), Stutilina has revived the region’s centuries-old Chandela and Bundela tanks—traditional rainwater harvesting systems that had fallen into neglect. Her flagship programme, the Bundelkhand Initiative for Water, Agriculture and Livelihoods (BIWAL), has restored more than 224 historical tanks across eight districts and 260 villages, excavating over 1.2 million cubic metres of silt and creating a potential storage capacity of 4.26 billion litres of water. These efforts have improved irrigation, enhanced soil fertility, and recharged local aquifers—laying the foundation for climate-adaptive agriculture and livelihood security.
Stutilina’s work goes beyond physical restoration. She has placed women and local communities at the centre of climate action, training women as water technicians, leaders, and decision-makers. This inclusive model of governance is now being replicated across neighbouring districts—demonstrating that gender equity and climate resilience go hand in hand.
“When communities reclaim their water, they reclaim their future. Every revived tank tells a story of hope, resilience, and collective action.”
MOTIVATION
“For me, motivation comes from the deep sense of accomplishment that follows when a difficult goal is achieved—such as advancing water security in one of India’s most resource-poor regions. Witnessing firsthand the vulnerabilities of rural communities to changing weather patterns, soil degradation, and limited access to climate information has shaped my approach. My focus has always been on empowering people to co-create solutions by ensuring gender inclusion in water governance, training women as water technicians, and strengthening community-led management of natural resources.
Driving water security in a drought-prone region is never easy but empowering people, especially women, to lead that change keeps me inspired every day.”
IMPACT
Revived and restored 224 traditional water tanks across Bundelkhand, creating a potential water storage capacity of 4.26 billion litres.
Excavated 1.22 million cubic metres of silt, which has been reused by 6,468 farmers to enrich soil fertility and boost farm productivity.
Expanded cultivated area by 16.4% during Kharif and 17.4% during Rabi seasons, increasing food and livelihood security.
Enhanced irrigation coverage by 28% in Kharif and 33% in Rabi, supporting more resilient crop cycles.
Improved groundwater retention — wells that once dried up by February or March now sustain water until May.
Strengthened women’s leadership in water governance and natural resource management, making gender inclusion a cornerstone of community resilience.
CHALLENGES
Limited financial resources, inadequate technical expertise, and narrow de-siltation windows caused by early monsoons have posed significant operational challenges. Sustaining community participation and navigating complex bureaucratic processes have also tested the team’s perseverance.
To overcome these barriers, Stutilina and her team invested in local capacity-building, fostered continuous stakeholder engagement, and established robust governance systems to ensure community ownership and the long-term sustainability of the restored water bodies.
ADVICE
“Focus on local solutions and traditional systems—they have stood the test of time and remain powerful, nature-based responses to climate change. Ensure the voices of women and socially disadvantaged communities are heard in decision-making, for they are often the most affected and the most committed to change. And above all, value community wisdom—ancient water systems, seed-saving traditions, and forest practices hold profound cultural and ecological knowledge that can guide a more resilient future.”
CONTACT
