13th, November, New Delhi: The water industry in India has got another brilliant push with its first Water Awards – Water Digest Water Awards 2006-2007. This unique award, initiated by the bi-monthly international magazine, Water Digest was in association with UNESCO and CNBC TV 18 this year.

On 13th of November 2006 Water Digest Water Awards celebrated its first Awards Night. After months of deliberation the competition saw great winners.

Bringing more seriousness and gravity to the Awards Night, Chief Guest of the evening, Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif- Ud-Din Soz talked about the importance of efficient handling of water and the essential task of its protection. He said, “In this country of ancient civilization, water conservation has become a part of the culture. People in rural Rajasthan have their own way of conserving water. The poor villager might not have gone to schools and colleges but history has taught him the innovative ways of water conservation. People in Mizoram, who live on high hills, have their unique system of storing rain water in underground tanks. They are the major contributors to water management and our efforts should be to bring them to the fore and set examples for others to learn.”

Other eminent guests of the evening included Ms. Minja Yang, the Director of UNESCO, Ms. Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, Ms. Lizette Burgers, Chief Water & Environmental Sanitation Section, UNICEF, Dr. Sukumar Devotta, Director, NEERI, A.K. Dhawan, Director of Central Soil & Materials Research Station, Arumugam Kalimuthu, Chairperson of WES-NET, Mr. Bharat Lal, Research Associate, UNICEF. The top of the corporate world was also seen besides others the likes of Rajesh Sharma, MD, Ion Exchange (India) Ltd., Rajiv Mittal, Managing Director, VA Tech Wabag Ltd., Mr. N.K. Ranganath, MD, Grundfos Pumps India Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Gautam Khanna, MD, Pentair Water India Pvt. Ltd. engaged in active discussions.

Despite being the first Awards of its kind, the Water Digest Water Awards was able to excite and generate much interest and participation. The Awards Night recognized the emergence of organizations that have contributed tremendously in the sector of water but have never been acknowledged by organizations that have been helping the environment & water scarcity issue by practicing steps that are responsible for the betterment of the water scenario in India, were involved in this project. It is this contribution that has led to the initiation of the first Indian Water Award. This has in another way shifted the focus to India's biggest problem – water and its management, and those who do their bit in countering it. With months of thorough research, a certain number of Categories were selected. The Categories ranged from recognizing outstanding rural work of an NGO to the R&D potentials of an industry, all in the field of water.

The esteemed Panel of Judges, had eminent persons from the field of water such as Dr. Sudhirendar Sharma, Director of Ecological Foundation, Dr. Sukumar Devotta, Director, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Mr. D. Datta, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) and Dr. B. R. Neupane, Regional Programme Specialist, UNESCO.

The top award winners included Mr. G.S. Ranganathan - Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Water Company - Ion Exchange (India) Ltd., Upcoming Water Company - Aqua Designs India Pvt. Ltd, the most coveted and the only Category through Industry poll, Water Icon of the Year went to Mr. Rajiv Mittal, Managing Director, VA Tech Wabag Ltd, India. The rest of the award winners included Best Water Conserver - Wastewater Management - Ion Exchange (India) Ltd., Best Domestic Water Purifier - The Complete Domestic Water Solutions Provider (RO & UV) – Kent R-O Systems, Best Domestic Water Purifier - Complete RO Purifier – Zero B from Ion Exchange (India) Ltd., Best Water R&D and Technological Breakthrough - ITT Fluid Technology International Inc., Best Water Treatment System Component & Exporter - Pentair Water India Pvt. Ltd., Best Water Treatment System Components Domestic - Aquanomics Systems Ltd. and the Best Water Treatment - Water Supply Engineering, Grundfos Pumps India Pvt. Ltd. Amongst the Best Water NGO awards, the winner for Water Quality was Byrraju Foundation, for Water Education the winner was Enviro Vigil, for Revival of Rural Water Resources it was Planet Kerala and last but not the least the award for Water Harvesting went to The Andhyodaya organization.