Chennai: T Pradeep, a professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras hailing from Kerala, has won the prestigious Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water which carries a cash component of Rs 2 crore.
Pradeep, who belongs to Panthavoor in Malappuram district, was selected for the award for developing a mechanism to remove the poisonous Arsenic content from water utilizing nanotechnology. Also a previous winner of the Padmashree award, Pradeep holds the patent for Amrit Water Filter, which purifies water at a low cost. Amrit has been officially recognized by the Central Government and is now used in various states. Incidentally, Pradeep holds over 90 patents.
Situation in Kerala
Regarding the quality of potable water in his home state, Pradeep said, “Kerala has the safest well water in India.”
However, the top scientist issued a warning. “Intensive use of potent insecticides in farmlands is gradually making water in such areas unsafe for consumption,” he said.