In drought-hit Marathwada, where death looms large, Poi Tanda, a nondescript hamlet in Beed, is winning the fight.

To become water-wise, people need granular data. Aquifers can be mapped within five years with smart, crowd-sourced, ground-up information, obtained with satellite data.

At present, IT is reinforcing more than attacking inequality: men are benefiting more than women; the rich are benefiting more than the poor. The challenge is to create the conditions for reversing the polarities