Dated: 20th April 2026
A two-days’ workshop for brainstorming on Water and Sanitation issues on 16th and 17th April 2026. It was organized by the Rural WASH Partners Forum (RWPF) in collaboration with SPM-NIWAS (National Institute of Water and Sanitation), Kolkata and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India. Day 1 of the workshop focused on the water sector, while Day 2 centred on sanitation, bringing together a wide range of partner organizations including SIGMA Foundation, Tata Trusts, Evidence Action, UNICEF, Water For People, WaterAid, Piramal Foundation, WHEELS Global Foundation, 
ECHO India, The WASH Institute, Indian Institute for Human Settlements, and National Health Systems Resource Centre, among others. The workshop served as a critical platform to deliberate on sectoral challenges, innovations, and pathways for strengthening sustainable and resilient water and sanitation service delivery systems.
Dr. Debasri Mukherjee, Assistant Director (WASH), and Ms. Sohini Tarafdar, Program Manager, actively contributed to the Day 1 proceedings focused on the water sector, bringing in valuable field-based perspectives and technical insights. Their participation added depth to discussions on governance, sustainability, climate resilience and social & behaviour change. Ms. Sonia Nandi, Senior Technical Officer, 
“participated in the Day 2 sessions on sanitation, contributing to deliberations on improving sanitation systems and service delivery. The workshop facilitated rich exchanges among stakeholders, fostering collaboration and identifying actionable strategies to enhance the effectiveness, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability of WASH interventions across the country.
The days concluded with group presentations, an open house discussion on key issues, including functionality, sustainability and future directions under JJM 2.0 and SBM, followed by concluding remarks, felicitation and networking dinner, fostering collaboration among stakeholders.