About Aakar Charitable Trust

Aakar Charitable Trust founded in 2003 is committed to providing water to the parched and thirsty villagers using a rainwater harvesting method of building check dams and ponds with utmost dedication and transparency. Amla Ruia, founder and chairperson of Aakar Charitable Trust, fondly known as Water Mother of India has worked tirelessly to empower rural India and raise the ground water table through sustainable rainwater harvesting structures.

Aakar Charitable Trust has since then transformed the lives of over 18 lakh villagers, once trapped in severe water scarcity and poverty. By constructing 1,308 water bodies which consist of 814 check dams and 494 ponds. Amla Ruia has rejuvenated degraded arid lands and helped to convert them into 6,72,012 of acres of irrigated farmlands. These efforts span 1,258 villages in water deficient regions across 11 states of India which are Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, collectively generating an annual net income of Rs. 3,475 crores year after year.

Building check dams in water-deficient parts of rural India helps increase the groundwater table through a natural and highly effective process of rainwater harvesting and percolation. However, our dams go far beyond the common check dam because they are not at all small, some of them holding as much as 12 crore litres of rainwater in a good monsoon. There is a significant decrease in the salt content of the well water in saline areas. In areas where check dams are unviable due to geographical conditions, Aakar builds ponds to ensure the rainwater is captured. Each pond constructed by Aakar generates an average annual net income of Rs. 20 lakhs between 3-4 farmers providing multiple income opportunities through farming, animal husbandry, fish farming, poultry and horticulture.

Over a Million Lives Transformed by Aakar Charitable Trust

State Check-dams Built Ponds Built Total Water Bodies Lives Benefited
Rajasthan 689 198 887 15,08,634
Madhya Pradesh 47 - 47 1,17,168
Gujarat 18 28 46 79,832
Maharashtra 39 - 39 55,154
Uttar Pradesh 12 - 12 30,584
Bihar 2 261 263 56,608
Odisha 3 - 3 7,696
Haryana 1 - 1 1,640
Himachal Pradesh 1 - 1 1,240
Chhattisgarh 2 - 2 960
Jharkhand - 7 7 136
TOTAL 814 494 1,308 18,59,652

Benefits of Check Dams

Transformational Impact on Rural Farming Communities:

  1. Farmers have a year -round income by cultivating three crops annually empowering them to become debt -free.
  2. Cultivable land expands dramatically — from just 2% to an impressive 98%.
  3. Farmers now have capital to invest in modern farming tools and technology — including tractors, harvesters, automated irrigation systems and solar panels.
  4. Animal husbandry significantly boosts household income, creating new revenue streams.
  5. Migrant workers return home, sparking a reverse migration from cities to villages.
  6. Women no longer have the burden of fetching water, improving quality of life and productivity
  7. Girl children now attend school, and youth can pursue higher education, opening doors to a brighter future.

Lasting Environmental & Social Impact:

  1. Groundwater levels rise as wells and aquifers are naturally recharged by the capillary action of the soil.
  2. Fuel consumption for pumping water decreases, lowering costs and carbon emissions.
  3. Soil health is restored and environmental degradation is reversed, ensuring sustainable farming.
  4. Check dams act as a safeguard against both floods and droughts, offering long-term resilience.
  5. No adverse ecological or social impact typically associated with large dam projects.
  6. Health and hygiene improve significantly due to consistent access to clean water.
  7. Prosperity and dignity returns to the community — festivals and weddings are once again celebrated with joy and grandeur.

Our USP

Having an approach that is ethical, efficient and empowering: 

  1. We ask the villagers to contribute one -third of the project costs; the remaining is funded by individual and corporate donations. The villagers get a sense of ownership and are willing to maintain the structure because of their contribution thereby making our project sustainable.
  2. A social reform pact is encouraged - villagers pledge to give up practices like dowry, alcohol, tobacco and funeral feasts.
  3. Swift execution and quick turnaround of the socio - economic conditions of the villagers due to a significant jump in their income within the very first year of construction.
  4. Complete transparency in all processes and financials.
  5. CSR-compliant, FCRA certified, and all contributions qualify for 80G tax exemption.
  6. Only the best materials are used to ensure durability and long -term impact.

The Aakar Transformation Timeline

Aakar Charitable Trust founded.

2003

First check dam in Mundawara, Rajasthan; income rose to ₹12 crore within three years.

2006

Landmark Guda Bera Check Dam in Pali, Rajasthan; ₹54 crore generated for 7,000 villagers in its first year.

2015

Consistently building over 1200+ water bodies annually.

2018–2025

1,308 water bodies completed (814 check dams and 494 ponds), impacting 1.8 million lives across India.

2025