Rajesh Varma

An Indian engineer who revolutionized irrigation technology in the 1950s, developing low-cost systems that transformed agricultural productivity in drought-prone regions.

Rajesh Varma (1918-1989) was a civil engineer whose innovations in water management transformed farming in India's arid regions. Born in a farming family in Rajasthan, he witnessed firsthand the devastation of crop failures due to erratic monsoons. After earning his engineering degree from IIT Kharagpur (1942), he spent 15 years developing the Varma Percolation Tank System, a low-cost method to recharge groundwater using check dams and contour bunds. This system is credited with tripling crop yields in 120 villages of western India.

His 1957 invention of the 'Solar-Powered Water Lifter' used simple mechanical principles to lift water without electricity, enabling irrigation in remote areas. Over 500,000 units were deployed across India by 1970. Varma's 1965 book Water from the Earth became a standard text in agricultural engineering schools worldwide. His work directly influenced the Indian government's 1970 National Water Policy, which prioritized decentralized water management.

Despite his contributions, Varma remained a humble figure who refused commercial patents, stating, 'Water belongs to the people.' His legacy lives on in the Rajesh Varma Institute of Rural Engineering, established in 1985. Modern studies show his percolation tanks continue to store 20% of Rajasthan's groundwater, a fact highlighted in the UNDP's 2020 report on sustainable agriculture. His techniques are now being adapted in sub-Saharan Africa through partnerships with the World Bank.