India is not water-scarce, it’s mismanaged, says water policy expert

Dr Ankita Menon, a native of Hoshiarpur and water policy expert, has been crowned Mrs World International 2025 (Charming Category) at a global pageant held in Gurugram. Outshining over 25,000 contestants from across the globe, she emerged as one of the 150 grand finalists and walked away with the coveted crown—becoming a beacon of beauty with a mission.

Daughter of teacher Minakshi Menon and advocate VK Menon, Dr Menon has long merged her academic brilliance with grassroots action. She currently leads strategic partnerships at GuruJal, an organisation devoted to restoring India’s water bodies and ecosystems. But her journey with water began years ago—not just as a researcher, but as someone deeply spiritually connected to it.

“Water is not just a resource; it’s a mirror of our society, our priorities, and our future,” says Dr Menon, who holds a PhD in water, culture and commodification, after spending a year living in Kaladera, Rajasthan, studying the groundwater crisis at the grassroots.

Her commitment to the cause was ignited during her time at JNU, after watching the documentary Tapped, which raised questions that changed her worldview: Where does bottled water really come from? Who pays the price for our convenience? What happens to all the plastic waste? Since then, water has become her lens to understand inequality, sustainability and resilience.

Dr Menon’s career spans working with stakeholders at all levels—from village panchayats to international forums. She contributed to the Jal Jeevan Mission, worked with Invest India, and collaborated with the Indo-Nordic Water Forum to explore wastewater challenges. Recently, she pivoted from policy to practice, diving into field-level interventions—building nature-based sewage treatment systems, rainwater harvesting structures, and promoting greywater reuse.

“India is not water-scarce, it’s water-mismanaged,” she asserts. According to her, closing the gap between water demand and supply isn’t rocket science. “If every household installed a rooftop rainwater harvesting unit and carried reusable water bottles, we could make a massive difference with small, collective actions,” she adds.

Dr Menon is also deeply concerned about Punjab’s water woes. “It’s ironic that ‘Punjab’—the land of five rivers—is now struggling with toxic tributaries, contaminated groundwater, and overexploited aquifers,” she notes. From Buddha Nullah to pesticide-laden groundwater in Malwa, the state’s water crisis demands urgent decentralised solutions and inclusive water governance.

Her roadmap for a water-secure India is both practical and visionary. She advocates embedding nature-based solutions into core strategies and empowering communities to monitor and maintain infrastructure. She stresses the need to promote crop diversification with sustained farmer support and make water literacy mainstream through education and awareness. Dr Menon also urges recognising water as a living entity, not just a utility.

“Water doesn’t flow equally to everyone,” she reminds us. “It reflects our inequalities, our climate vulnerabilities and our misplaced priorities. Healing our relationship with water is not just an environmental task—it’s a cultural, social, and spiritual mission.”

As she balances crowns and causes, Dr Ankita Menon proves that true beauty lies in conviction, and that grace can be a powerful force for change—especially when it flows with the wisdom of water.