Nexus Select Trust, India’s largest retail real estate platform, announced the successful rejuvenation and handover of its 10th lake under its flagship ESG program “Lakes of Happyness.”. The initiative, which aims to adopt and revive 15 lakes by FY2026, focuses on restoring India’s vanishing urban and rural water bodies through sustainable, community-driven methods.

Launched in 2022, Lakes of Happyness has already revived 10 lakes across four states, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana benefiting over 100,000 people across 100+ villages and local communities. The Hyderabad phase marks a major milestone, with the Gurunath Cheruvu lake spread over 21 acres in Miyapur, now fully restored and handed over to the local society for their recreational activities.

Dalip Sehgal, CEO, Nexus Select Trust, said: “Water scarcity is not just an environmental issue, it’s a human one. When a lake revives, life revives. Through Lakes of Happyness, we’re bringing back not just water, but wellbeing for people, for nature, for generations to come.”

What makes Lakes of Happyness stand out is its reach beyond the company’s immediate business footprint. Many of the rejuvenated lakes lie far from Nexus malls, in regions where local livelihoods depend critically on water from drought-prone farmlands in Chalisgaon to temple-linked ecosystems in Chennai and wildlife corridors in Bengaluru.

Working alongside celebrated water conservationists such as Anand Malligavad (“Lake Man of India”) and Gunwant Sonawane, Nexus has employed traditional, nature-based restoration methods — avoiding cement and steel, focusing instead on de-silting, deepening basins, planting native species, and rebuilding natural catchment areas.

The initiative has already resulted in measurable outcomes:

• Groundwater levels increased by up to 1.5xin drought-hit belts like Jalgaon and Chalisgaon.
• 20 dry wells refilledand hundreds of acres of farmland restored post-monsoon.
• Flourishing biodiversityobserved in rejuvenated lakes, with return of migratory birds and native flora.
• Community migration reduced, with families now accessing drinking water locally year-round.
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Jayen Naik, President – Operations, Nexus Select Trust, added “Every lake we’ve restored has become the heart of its community again recharging groundwater, attracting birds, improving crops, and reconnecting people to nature. These lakes don’t just hold water; they hold the promise of a better tomorrow.”

Since inception, Nexus has through Lakes of Happyness, has reinforced its commitment to sustainable development, community resilience, and environmental stewardship. The 10th lake which was rejuvenated and handed over in Hyderabad marks the halfway milestone in the Trust’s vision to rejuvenate 15 lakes by FY2026. A goal that underlines how corporate purpose can create ripples of change well beyond the balance sheet.