India Water Portal

India Water Portal is an open knowledge platform on water in India, managed by Arghyam, a Bengaluru-based nonprofit founded by Rohini Nilekani. Launched in 2005 following a recommendation by the National Knowledge Commission, the portal has grown into one of the most comprehensive online archives on water in the country. It is supported by Arghyam and Tata Trusts.

The platform publishes in both English and Hindi, with a dedicated Hindi portal covering the same thematic areas for a wider regional readership. Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

Sectors: Water, Sanitation, Agriculture, Environment, Climate Change, Governance and Policy

India Water Portal combines original reporting, research curation, and community knowledge-sharing around water and related issues across India. The work spans several areas:

• Knowledge and Publishing

The portal publishes long-form reported articles, explainers, FAQs, working papers, and case studies on water issues. Coverage includes drinking water, groundwater, rivers and lakes, water quality and pollution, agriculture, ecology, climate change, and water governance and policy. The editorial team also produces short-form content and data stories to reach broader audiences.

• Data

The portal maintains an open data section with datasets on water across India, aimed at researchers, policymakers, and civil society organisations working on water issues. Community and Outreach

Beyond publishing, India Water Portal functions as a community space where practitioners, researchers, government officials, and citizens can share experiences, access resources, and learn about ongoing work in sustainable water management. The platform runs a newsletter for regular updates on water issues, and accepts contributed content from across the sector.

• Opportunities and Events

The portal lists fellowships, jobs, grants, and events relevant to the water and environment sector, serving as a practical resource for people looking to work in this space.

Work Areas Drinking water, groundwater, rivers and lakes, water quality and pollution, rainwater harvesting, agriculture, ecology, climate change, disasters, sanitation, and water governance and policy.

India Water Portal is one of the few platforms in India that brings together original journalism, open data, and community knowledge on a single subject at this depth and scale. For people with a background in journalism, research, communications, data, or environmental science, it is a place where that work reaches a large and engaged audience across the sector.