Raju Mittal

Indian engineer developing low-cost water purification systems for rural communities

Revolutionizing Water Access

Raju Mittal's M-Power Water has provided clean drinking water to over 2 million people in India's rural regions through affordable UV purification systems. His 2016 invention - the Waterbox - costs just $200 compared to traditional systems priced at $10,000.

Innovation Journey

After witnessing his village's waterborne disease outbreaks during childhood, Mittal combined aerospace engineering principles (from his NASA internship) with traditional water filtration methods. His team at IIT Delhi developed a system using:

• Nano-filtration membranes
• Gravity-fed design requiring no electricity
• Mobile app monitoring for maintenance

Social Impact

By 2023, the Waterbox network had:

• Prevented 1.2 billion liters of contaminated water consumption
• Reduced waterborne disease cases by 78% in deployed villages
• Created 1,500+ local jobs through community maintenance programs

Global Expansion

Mittal's systems are now deployed in 12 countries including Kenya, Bangladesh, and Guatemala through partnerships with UNICEF. His work is documented in MIT's Journal of Water Solutions and featured on PBS's Frontline.