International River Congress

“If the Earth is a Mother, then Rivers are her Veins.” – Amit Kalantri

Rivers are the lifeline of all civilizations as they provide a plethora of life giving benefits .They have  encouraged human kind to establish major human civilizations and their  cities . Mostly in many countries rivers are worshiped as their sacred mother for they nurture us with life giving fresh water.  As we look from pre-historic times all civilizations were established and flourished near rivers. It had played significant role in agriculture, transport and trade and thereby in the advancement human civilization. Rivers are an element of the hydrological cycle in which water collects via precipitation and its intensity expands as it collects more water from the many tributaries that feeds its drainage system. All rivers initiate from the apex point in an area and thereby flow downstream being born of snow rainwater or underground reserves.

Rivers run through our history and folklore, and link us to people and their civilizations. They nourish and refresh us and provide a home to dazzling varieties of fish, wildlife trees and myriad varieties of plants. Be it the Amazon, the Mississippi or our very own indigenous, sacred ever flowing Ganges, every river has a unique identity and a character of its own which flows not just past landscapes, but through our cultures and rituals resonating with a tingling, sensation, vibrating and exciting every cell of the body when we witness its magnificence and grandeur , as it flows .Our minds and souls  begin to  rejoice and rejuvenate ,refreshed and purified and devoid of any fatigue. They are life giving and nourishing life in all its varied forms therefore should be cared for with utmost reverence and affection. But what do we actually do to save the extinction of rivers or to take care of the rivers which needs rejuvenation? How many people actually feel that we should really do something to save our rivers! Even if we think, have we taken any measures? If we have taken any measures, do other people know about that? If they know, do they have any suggestions!!! May be they have, but they don’t know that where to reach out with their ideas!

Considering the significance of rivers and the consequences mankind will experience in near future if negligent now South Asian Institute for Advance Research & Development (SAIARD) is dedicated to the cause of conservation, restoration and protecting our largest ever flowing freshwater sources .The “International River Congress!” is endeavor on our behalf to bring together scientists & stakeholders who actually research for the wellbeing of rivers from all over India. All will come together on a single platform to share, enhance and deliberate with their ideas. It will be a platform where they can discuss and deliberate about River Basin Management, livelihoods of the people who live on the adjoining river banks and floodplains, river economies which promote economic sustenance. This seminar will also be an assembly of manifestos where the stake holders can share their views or the steps they have taken till date for management of river bank erosion, river rejuvenation & riverine ecosystem sustenance this will pave the path for integrated and sustainable planning in future.

This colloquium will be an open stage for all those mindful souls who actually care about the River Sustainability & Development and want to create awareness to protect the rivers. SAIARD is dedicated to the cause and sincerely desires that this convention will help us toraise awareness and save countless numbers of rivers from obliteration.