Introduction
Raman was born on 5 November 1980 in the historical Poothi village of Meerut district. After receiving his primary education from the village school, Raman passed his graduation examination from Chaudhary Charan Singh University. Raman has also done one year computer diploma and one year journalism diploma. Raman became involved in river rejuvenation work in the year 2001 itself. While Raman is doing groundwork by connecting with the society, he is also contributing to the policy schemes of the Central and various state governments. Work was started with full dedication at both the policy and ground levels towards keeping the natural water sources (ponds and rivers) pollution free and reviving them. Due to his river rejuvenation work of about 22 years, Raman is today known as Riverman on India in the country.
Raman is doing all his work with the spirit of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' with a positive spirit in collaboration with the society and the government. According to Raman, when we get many things from nature including water, energy, food, and air, then we should also pay its price by conserving nature through some means or the other. Every person of the society should understand about his duty towards nature and should realize the concept of development without harming nature. Raman is working towards inculcating nature protection among children, diverting farmers towards chemical-free agriculture and establishing the relationship between water and women among women. Natural Environmental Education and Research (NEER Foundation) was formed by Raman in the year 2004.
Raman has expertise in river rejuvenation and pond and rainwater conservation. Raman is also proficient in the art of pencil art.
Influenced by Raman's river rejuvenation work, the first Bollywood film 'Ek Ank' has been made giving the best message of river conservation. The director of this film is Prabhat Kumar. The producer of the film is Dr. Neeru Joshi. The hero in the film is Yajuvendra Pratap Singh and the heroine is Preeti Shukla. The film has three songs sung by Sonu Nigam, Papon and Palak Muchachal respectively, which have been released by Zee Music. The music of the film has been given by Puneet.
Raman considers Lord Shiva as nature. All dimensions of Lord Shiva are symbols of nature. On this basis, I am slowly moving forward with full dedication. Thousands of volunteers from hundreds of villages, towns and cities are associated with us. My main aim is to restore the lost identity of Ganga-Yamuna Doab. I am moving towards my set goals with a steady pace, hard work, dedication, and honesty.
IMPACT IN THE FIELD OF WORK
Raman does an excellent job of resource planning at the beginning of tasks with his team members. He always makes sure to check the major issues involved with his team members, including the management team in the office and the field team at the project sites. He organizes and executes his plans well, sees the big picture, without neglecting the finer details, and completes assigned projects in a result-driven and timely manner. She excels at interacting well with community members as well as families affected by water, environmental and public health issues. This has earned them long-term, working relationships with leading technical institutes, laboratories and organisations, many government agencies in India.
Under his leadership many achievements have been achieved and many more are being achieved. Water pollution affected villages situated on the banks of East, Hindon, Krishna rivers are suffering from many water borne diseases. Raman's team has been successful in installing individual water filters in two of these villages, namely Double and Morukka. Their aim is to reach as many villages as possible. Many ponds have been revived, ground water is being recharged in villages and rainwater is being stored. Due to the research and studies conducted by him, the Kali Purva and Hindon rivers are now prominently highlighted in government programmes.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY
Despite facing social, personal, and financial constraints, Raman has always continued to work towards the improvement of small rivers, the quality and availability of water resources, especially rivers. It is no surprise that when he heard of the water problems of the Double Village community in his neighbourhood, he spent money from his own pocket to get the water samples tested for quality and toxins. Having known and worked with them, I felt an obligation to help promote their efforts.
However, it is because of Raman's strong will and commitment that policy makers are in the process of formalizing a long-term drinking water system for the affected community. Raman has shown excellent leadership and team management skills while contributing to various policy formulation for rivers in Western Uttar Pradesh, which is a very complex task. They could inspire a shared vision in a team, while dealing with constant changes in various factors affecting their work. As a strong leader, Raman along with his team members are continuously contributing to the society. Raman is very articulate about issues related to both rural and urban environments. Raman has been invited to several local, national, and international seminars to share his experiences and recommendations for a more inclusive planning and decision-making process.