Kalpana Ramesh

Indian architect combating water scarcity through ancient stepwell revival

Hailing from Telangana, Kalpana Ramesh (b.1981) transformed decaying stepwells into sustainable water systems. Her "Well Renaissance Project" restored 47 medieval structures across India's Deccan Plateau, increasing groundwater recharge by 62% in participating villages.

Ramesh's bio-filter innovation combines traditional lime mortar with nanocellulose from agricultural waste. This climate-responsive technology won the 2019 UN Sustainable Development Award. She established Water Literacy Centers in 89 schools, teaching rainwater harvesting through augmented reality simulations.

Her metro stepwell concept implemented in Hyderabad's subway stations collects 3.8 million liters annually. Recent work includes developing floating stepwells for flood-prone Bangladesh, using recycled plastic pontoons and AI-driven silt management systems.