A groundbreaking study by Padma Shri Dr. Ajay Sonkar reveals that the Ganga is the world’s only freshwater river with 1,100 unique bacteriophages that naturally purify its waters. These microscopic entities not only eliminate pollution but also destroy 50 times more harmful bacteria than their own count by infiltrating and modifying bacterial RNA.
Dr. Sonkar, renowned for his research in cancer, genetic code, cell biology, and autophagy, discovered this during the Mahakumbh. Praised by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Dr. Sonkar has collaborated with global institutions like Wageningen University, Rice University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Harvard Medical School.
These bacteriophages act as the river’s natural defense system, activating especially during mass bathing events like the Maha Kumbh, where millions take a holy dip. They swiftly neutralize bacteria introduced into the water, ensuring its continued purity. Despite being 50 times smaller than bacteria, they multiply rapidly, with each phage producing 100–300 new ones during an attack.
What makes these bacteriophages exceptional is their precision—they target only harmful bacteria while leaving beneficial ones untouched. Dr. Sonkar compares this self-cleansing process to oceanic purification, highlighting its ecological and medical significance.
This discovery also served to counter concerns from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about Ganga’s water quality during the Maha Kumbh. The Uttar Pradesh government, citing Dr. Sonkar’s findings, affirmed the river’s purity, calling it “alkaline water.” Since January 13, over 58 crore devotees have bathed in the sacred Triveni Sangam.
Dr. Sonkar emphasizes that Ganga’s self-purification is nature’s message to humanity—if nature can preserve itself, it’s a reminder for humans to live in harmony with it.
