Water is a very personal and life-changing issue for Sunila Jayaraj, so it is not difficult to understand why he is so passionate about the Blue Planet Run’s mission. Born in Kolar, a drought-prone and semi-arid region in Karnataka state, India, Sunila grew up understanding just how precious water is as a natural resource.

Sunila’s passion for water-related causes was not truly awakened until he met Renuka Nagaraju, who traveled more than 4,000 kilometers across India promoting sustainable-water-resource management. After hearing about the global water crisis, Sunila was compelled to quit his job as a product engineer and go back to school to do research on water-resource management. He is currently earning a doctoral degree in environmental fluid mechanics (flood-related issues in developing countries) at Eastern Michigan University and teaching undergraduates part-time.

Sunila discovered his love for running in early 2004 with the encouragement of Nagaraju, who sponsored him $300 for every mile Sunila ran in the Detroit Free Press Marathon. After raising enough money participating in three marathons, Sunila was able to adopt 85 schools in Kolar, India, which he visits frequently. Sunila heard about the Blue Planet Run at the Detroit Free Press Marathon expo in late 2006 and felt it matched his interests perfectly.

Sunila is most excited about being a brand ambassador for a cause as noble as providing safe drinking water. Mahatma Gandhi’s precept “You must be the change that you wish to see in this world” caught Sunila’s attention as a child, and he began practicing it in daily life. He truly adopted it after he saw the flood-affected areas in Bihar, India, and turned his energies toward making a positive change. Sunila is a founding member of CIRD (Centre for Integrated Rural Development) in Kolar. CIRD’s main objective is sustainable-water-resource management through rainwater harvesting, watershed development and awareness building. Sunila is also trying to create a network of all the organizations working on sustainable-water-resource management in India through the Ganga Kaveri Bhagirathi Trust in Lansing, Michigan.

Sunila is involved with Asha for Education, teaches yoga and volunteers at a nearby soup kitchen. He is a self-professed sports junkie, following cricket, baseball, football and basketball. After he runs, Sunila enjoys a good game of racquetball. He peruses philosophical, spiritual and yoga (health) books, as well as those by Hermann Hesse. Sunila also enjoys listening to Indian folk music; playing with his German shepherd, Arjun; and most recently took on the new role of husband on May 7, 2007.