In this episode of Sustainably Curious, I sit down with Ganesh Shankar - engineer, climate tech founder, and lifelong sustainability practitioner - to trace his journey from experiencing as a child how a community saved a local lake in Bangalore to building water intelligence solutions used by India’s biggest companies.

Ganesh’s story is a powerful reminder that the seeds of change often lie in small, early experiences - a painting competition, a protest, or a choice to cycle instead of drive. What began with lake activism has grown into a life dedicated to solving water challenges through technology, community, and systems thinking.

We talk about:

• How a 10-year-old's participation in local efforts to save a lake sparked a lifelong mission
• Building FluxGen to bring transparency and accountability to industrial water usage
• The story behind Sustainability Mafia and the movement it’s become
• Designing a low-impact lifestyle: from cycling to office to sitting down and eating meals
• What it means to ask “What is my Dharma right now?”

🌱 If you’ve ever wondered how personal choices, purpose, and climate innovation intersect - this one’s for you.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sustainability and Personal Journey
07:51 Childhood Activism and Environmental Awareness
15:56 Career Path and Transition to Sustainability
23:37 Reflections from a Year-Long Break
34:52 Founding FluxGen and Addressing Water Crisis
42:23 Water Management and Startup Focus
43:56 The Birth of Sustainability Mafia
46:43 Collaboration for Sustainability
48:38 Building a Sustainable Future
51:59 Climate Ninja: Educating Future Leaders
55:13 Inspiring the Next Generation
01:00:42 SusCrunch: Supporting New Entrepreneurs
01:05:22 Rapid Fire Insights and Reflections