100 WATER HEROES: KALANITHY VAIRAVAMOORTHY
Executive Director at International Water Association
Professor Kalanithy Vairavamoorthy is the Executive Director of the International Water Association (IWA) where they have established the largest networks of water experts “working towards a water wise world.”
Kala is an established voice in the water management sector, and has worked studiously to implement clean water and sanitation projects throughout the world. In collaboration with UNESCO and the EU, Kala has been involved in a range of successful WASH initiatives and raised awareness surrounding the global water crisis.
In addition to his work with UNESCO and the EU, Kala is also closely affiliated with the World Bank, UN-Habitat, GWP and SIWI. Kala also serves on several international scientific committees and is currently on the Stockholm’s World Water Week’s Scientific Program Committee (WWW-SPC) and the Global Water Partnership’s Technical Committee (GWP-TEC).
Prior to leading IWA, Kala was the International Water Management Institute’s (IWMI) Deputy Director General for Research. He was also the Founding Dean of the Patel College of Global Sustainability, as well as a tenured Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, at the University of South Florida. Kala’s extensive experience also includes being Professor and Chair of Water Engineering at the University of Birmingham, and Professor and Head of Core of Sustainable Urban Water Infrastructure Systems at UNESCO-IHE.
Kala is one of our #100WaterHeroes for his work with the International Water Association, and for his commitment to sustainability transforming urban water management systems.
