Building Smart Cities, One Lake at a Time: Anand Malligavad, The Lake Man of India

What makes a city truly smart? It’s not just about technology—it’s about solving real and meaningful problems that shape how we live, work, and thrive.

Welcome to the Smart Cities series by People+AI! This series explores how technology and community collaboration can address the most pressing challenges faced by urban spaces today. Through real-world examples, we aim to inspire action and innovation to create sustainable, resilient cities for the future.

In this episode, we speak to Anand Malligavad, the "Lake Man of India". When Bangalore was on the brink of becoming a zero-water city in 2016, Anand left his comfortable corporate career to revive India’s dying lakes.

Join People+AI fellows Sreeram and Vishnu as they discuss:
- Why lakes are critical for cities' health and sustainability.
- The challenges of regenerating lakes in urban and rural areas.
- Anand’s vision to integrate AI for smarter lake restoration and monitoring.

Inspired by his journey? Get involved and help us restore the lungs (lakes) of our cities with collaboration, technology and heart.

Reach out to People+AI: https://peopleplus.ai/volunteer

Let’s ask together: What can People and AI do for our lakes?