Twenty-five years ago, when Meher Bhandara was told by an astrologer that she's likely to enter a profession that would involve water, she didn't think much of it. "Since I was part of the travel and tourism industry, I assumed it might be about beach resorts or cruises," says Bhandara, whose grandfather founded Jeena Tours and Travels, the country's first Indian-owned travel agency. Little did the 67-year-old know, that she would eventually helm a pioneering project that involves making water from thin air.

Why humidity matters

Bhandara is one of the founders of WaterMaker (India) Pvt Ltd, a company that manufactures atmospheric water generators (AWG). The technology uses optimised dehumidification techniques to extract and condense moisture in the air to produce purified drinking water. While the concept may sound esoteric, the usage is fairly simple. They essentially plug and play machines that provide safe drinking water. "All it requires is electricity to condense, collect, filter and dispense water," she explains. Given its reliance on moisture, the machine functions best in coastal areas that are hot and humid. The greater the humidity, the better the output. "When we first participated at the Water Asia Expo in 2005 with a 500 litre AWG, visitors were amazed to see water being created out of air. They checked all nooks to find hidden pipe connections," she laughs.