World Water Day 2025 was observed at IIT Dharwad on March 25, 2025. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr. B. Venkatesh, Scientist G and Head of the Hard Rock Regional Centre at the National Institute of Hydrology.

World Water Day 2025 was observed at IIT Dharwad on March 25, 2025. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr. B. Venkatesh, Scientist G and Head of the Hard Rock Regional Centre at the National Institute of Hydrology. Prof. Rajesh Giridhar Bande, Head of the Civil & Infrastructure Engineering Department, welcomed the gathering, while Prof. K. V. Jayakumar provided an overview of the origins of World Water Day and introduced the Chief Guest.

The tone for the event was set by Prof. Venkappayya R. Desai, who briefly discussed how water was revered and conserved in the past. He also spoke about IIT Dharwad's mission to achieve net-zero water and energy within the next decade.

Dr. Venkatesh highlighted the theme for World Water Day 2025, “Glacier Preservation,” emphasizing the critical role glaciers play in sustaining freshwater supplies worldwide. He stressed the importance of conservation efforts in light of climate change. Later, he presented a comprehensive overview of various climate models and shared valuable insights on water availability in west-flowing rivers under different climate change scenarios. He discussed various Global Climate Models (GCMs) in the context of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). GCMs (General Circulation Models) are mathematical simulations of the Earth's climate system, while SSPs explore potential future global scenarios, focusing on societal, demographic, and economic factors that may influence greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Dr. Venkatesh also presented case studies conducted by his research group. The program concluded with an engaging and interactive Q&A session.