Kalinganagar (Odisha) : Tata Steel Foundation has been conferred with the CII National Award for Excellence in Water Management 2026 for its Kalinganagar Integrated Watershed Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project.
The watershed project is located within the catchment of the Brahmani River Basin and covers a total geographical area of 3,270.87 hectares across 12 villages and nine Gram Panchayats in the Danagadi and Sukinda blocks of Jajpur district, Odisha. The initiative was designed to address challenges such as rainfall dependency, land degradation, low farm productivity, and livelihood insecurity affecting rural communities.
The award ceremony was attended by Dr Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State for Jal Shakti; Rajeev Kumar Mittal, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG); and D. Senthil, Joint Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
Tata Steel Foundation was represented by Debdoot Mohanty, COO, Tata Steel Foundation; Anant Singh, Head – Agriculture; and other officials from the Foundation.
Sharing his thoughts, Sourav Roy, CEO, Tata Steel Foundation, said: “This recognition reflects the collective efforts of communities and the dedication and technical capability of our teams in addressing water and livelihood challenges in Kalinganagar. Looking ahead, we aim to build on these efforts to strengthen water security, support resilient rural livelihoods and contribute to sustainable development for generations to come.”
With a team of over 1,500 members across ten operational units in six states—Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab—the Foundation plays a significant role in driving meaningful, long‑term impact while contributing to India’s sustainable development goals and emerging as a thought leader in the development sector.
