Suvidha International Foundation,a California registered Non-Profit, successfully organized 3 Run for Water events in 2023; 5K walk/run in Sacramento, California on Sunday, April 23, 5K and 10K walk/run on Saturday, July 15th in Fremont, California and 5K walk/run on Saturday, August 26 in Redmond, Washington to promote health in the community and support River Rejuvenation water projects in India. Suvidha International Foundation partnered with the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) in organizing these three events. Silicon Valley Global Impact Rotary Club joined the Suvidha International Foundation in organizing the Fremont run event. More than 500 individuals representing diverse ethnic backgrounds from three different cities enthusiastically joined their respective city’s “Run for Water” event, experiencing a delightful time walking or running either 5K or 10K distances.
Can we envision a daily life without access to water for fundamental needs such as drinking, cooking, and farming? Unfortunately, this harsh reality is a common experience for numerous communities, particularly those living in economically deprived regions. During these three events, Bhaskar Vempati, the founder and president of Suvidha International Foundation, highlighted the urgent significance of water scarcity, a global issue affecting millions of people.
During the Run for Water events, Mr. Vempati addressed the audience, emphasizing that the event’s proceeds go towards supporting River Rejuvenation Water Projects in India. He further noted that Suvidha International has been collaborating with the Art of Living Foundation to drive these initiatives in Andhra Pradesh. Both the Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) and Overseas Volunteers for a Better India (OVBI) have been actively engaged in water-related projects since 2013. Detailed information about the river rejuvenation water projects can be found at the following websites: https://www.artofliving.org/
Pooja Gupta, representing the Art of Living Foundation and Dolly Parikh, President of Silicon Valley Global Impact Rotary Club highlighted the alarming water crisis currently facing both the global and Indian contexts. Pooja pointed out that India, in particular, is grappling with its most severe water crisis in four decades, with 54% of the Indian subcontinent now resembling a water-stressed arid region, witnessing the rapid depletion of many rivers. Experts predict that India will confront a severe water shortage by 2025 if immediate preventive measures are not undertaken. In response to this looming crisis, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has motivated the Art of Living community to embark on a mission to rejuvenate lost rivers across various regions of India, along with restoring other vital water bodies like ponds, wells, canals, and temple tanks.
The River Rejuvenation Project, initiated in 2013 with a commitment to provide a sustainable and enduring solution, has successfully revitalized 33 ailing rivers in four states—Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. This monumental effort has brought relief to over 3,000 villages to date, combating the impending water crisis.
