The conference was formally inaugurated by Sr. Meenakshi D’Silva FMA, Provincial of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Mumbai Province. In her opening address, she called for gender-inclusive and community-led approaches to WASH, underlining the role of empowered local participation in driving sustainable change.

Dr. Deepak Raut, Medical Superintendent at MGM Medical College and Chief Guest, reinforced the critical importance of WASH in public health systems. “Clean water and sanitation are not luxuries but non-negotiable essentials for a healthy population,” he said. Guest of Honour Dr. Ajit Salvi, Director of RCUES-AIILSG, focused on the need for innovative and scalable sanitation infrastructure, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas.

A major highlight was a panel discussion on “Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0: Gender and Urban Marginalization,” which brought attention to the intersecting challenges faced by women and marginalized communities in accessing sanitation. Complementing these discussions were engaging workshops, such as “Design Your Own WASH Campaign” and a “WASH Problem-Solution Marketplace”—platforms that encouraged participants to ideate practical, community-driven hygiene initiatives.

Prominent speakers included Mr. Anand Jagtap, Dr. Sulochana Pednekar, Adv. Dhanpal Solanki, and Ms. Dahlia Ribeiro, who provided valuable insights into policy, law, grassroots innovation, and community mobilization. Youth volunteers also played a pivotal role, presenting frugal, field-tested solutions for improving hygiene practices in underserved communities.

The conference concluded with a strong call to action urging multi-sectoral collaboration, youth engagement, and grassroots innovation to meet India’s evolving WASH targets. In the closing remarks, Auxilium Skills Academy reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the cause by announcing plans to expand its WASH curriculum and scale up livelihood initiatives in urban slums.

By fostering inclusive dialogue and empowering action at the community level, the National WASH 2025 Conference has laid the groundwork for a more resilient and equitable future of sanitation in India.