Rivers are the lifeline of all civilizations as they provide a plethora of life giving benefits .They have encouraged human kind to establish major human civilizations and their cities . Mostly in many countries rivers are worshiped as their sacred mother for they nurture us with life giving
fresh water. As we look from pre-historic times all civilizations were established and flourished near rivers. It had played significant role in agriculture, transport and trade and thereby in the advancement human civilization. Rivers are an element of the hydrological cycle in which water collects via precipitation and its intensity expands as it collects more water from the many tributaries that feeds its drainage system. All rivers initiate from the apex point in an area and thereby flow downstream being born of snow rainwater or underground reserves. Rivers run
through our history and folklore, and link us to people and their civilizations. They nourish and refresh us and provide a home to dazzling varieties of fish, wildlife trees and myriad varieties of plants. Be it the Amazon, the Mississippi or our very own indigenous, sacred ever flowing
Ganges, every river has a unique identity and a character of its own which flows not just past landscapes, but through our cultures and rituals resonating with a tingling, sensation, vibrating and exciting every cell of the body when we witness its magnificence and grandeur , as it flows
.Our minds and souls begin to rejoice and rejuvenate ,refreshed and purified and devoid of any fatigue. They are life giving and nourishing life in all its varied forms therefore should be cared for with utmost reverence and affection.

In a word , the whole aspect of SDGs are covered by this natural entity. But what do we actually do to save the extinction of rivers or to take care of the rivers which needs rejuvenation? How many people actually feel that we should really do something to save our rivers! Even if we think, have we taken any measures? If we have taken any measures, do other people know about that? If they know, do they have any suggestions!!! May be they have, but they don’t know that where to reach out with their ideas!

Therefore, considering the significance of rivers and the consequences mankind will experience in near future the Centre for River Affairs (CRA) of South Asian Institute for Advance Research & Development (SAIARD) is dedicated to the cause of conservation, restoration and protecting our largest ever flowing freshwater sources. The RIVER & SDGs is an initiative on behalf of CRA-SAIARD has been promoted with a vision to connect River and its concept with the different verticals of SDGs , to bridge the gap between human and the riverine conception as well as to bring the academicians, scientists, policymakers & stakeholders in a single platform for the wellbeing of rivers from all over the world.