THE past year was marked by significant global events, and the death and devastation in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan – with diplomatic efforts failing to achieve peace – have tested our values.
The involvement of major powers in proxy wars and rising social and economic inequalities have deepened divisions and prolonged suffering, with many losing belief in humanity. The rapid social and political shifts – home and abroad – will continue to challenge our values and resilience in 2025 and beyond.
Last summer’s riots demonstrated how misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric, ignited by a tiny minority of extremists, can lead to violence on our streets. It followed years of extreme voices – some media outlets, among certain politicians, and within some thinktanks – echoing hatred and demonising Muslims and migrant communities in the national discourse.
The heartening response to the riots, by the overwhelming majority of Britons, demonstrated that they reject prejudice, racism and demonisation.
Our challenge is tapping into local spirit and building a similar spirit at a national level. Sustained investment is required to better understand the ideologies, cultures and beliefs that are shaping our growing multiethnic communities so that strong relationships can be fostered between communities.
While polarisation has been growing, I have been involved in several local bridgebuilding conversations, in particular those facilitated by MINAB and Light Foundation charity, enabling a constructive dialogue in mosques. This project has aided conversations between some extreme far right sympathisers coming into mosques to express their anger, frustration and grievances over Muslims and minority groups’ “taking over their country, their jobs” and “invaders Islamising Britain”.
It has been deeply emotional and insightful listening to recent arrivals sharing their experiences of escaping death and violence, legitimately entering the country, and working hard to financially support their families while regularly experiencing hatred.
Such encouraging encounters give me hope as they help dispel misinformation and foster relationships. At Makkah Mosque in Leeds, we have seen participants hugging the ‘other’ after listening to their perspectives and experiences. Despite apparent differences, people share the same concerns. They want safety, stability and prosperity for themselves and their neighbours.
In the previous year, we also saw that interfaith relations have been profoundly fractured following the conflict in Gaza.
The lived reality of Muslim Jewish communities, compounded by the exponential rise in antiMuslim hatred and antiSemitism has intensified a sense of trepidation, vulnerability and suspicion. However, the future does not have to be plagued with fear, devastation and bloodshed. We can either choose to be bystanders or stand up for the humanitarian imperative.
Government statistics in 2024 showed almost two in five religious hate crimes (38 per cent) were targeted against Muslims,. The monitoring group Tell Mama UK recorded nearly 5,000 incidents of antiMuslim hate between October 7, 2023 and September 30, 2024. Surveys by Tell Mama demonstrate the importance of seeing how the normalisation of antiMuslim attitudes predates both October 7, the subsequent bloodshed in Gaza and the summer riots.
Greater Manchester Police reported a spike in Islamophobic offences from an average of 39 per month to 85 in August 2024, while West Yorkshire Police recorded a similar rise from 39 per month to 94 during the same period. The scale and nature of antiMuslim prejudice is still underplayed in our country.
If the previous year has taught us anything, it is that social cohesion cannot be an afterthought. The government rapidly condemning the racist violence, calling out antiMuslim prejudice and restoring order shortly after the Southport riots, was effective in rebuilding trust. There must be a strategic approach to cohesion and to resilience risks in our communities and neighbourhoods.
The path forward requires understanding people’s legitimate concerns about immigration and integration; listening and responding with authenticity and purpose; rebuilding trust through consistent investment and engagement; allowing people to reclaim pride in the places they call home; prioritising equity and equal citizenship for all so groups or communities are not isolated or demonised because of their identities; and taking a collaborative approach to achieving impactful and sustainable solutions.
Any national social cohesion strategy, in the new year, should not see those marginalised or demonised as a problem to be managed, rather as equal citizens of British society who are part of the solution to achieving an inclusive and cohesive society.
Imam Qari Asim is chair of Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), and trustee of British Future and The Light Foundation.
His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V
Anurag Bajpayee's Gradiant: The water company tackling a global crisis
In a world increasingly defined by scarcity, one resource is emerging as the most quietly decisive factor in the future of industry, sustainability, and even geopolitics: water. Yet, while the headlines are dominated by energy transition and climate pledges, few companies working behind the scenes on water issues have attracted much public attention. One of them is Gradiant, a Boston-based firm that has, over the past decade, grown into a key player in the underappreciated but critical sector of industrial water treatment.
A Company Born from MIT, and from Urgency
Founded in 2013 by Anurag Bajpayee and Prakash Govindan, two researchers with strong ties to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Gradiant began as a scrappy start-up with a deceptively simple premise: make water work harder. At a time when discussions about climate change were centred almost exclusively on carbon emissions and renewable energy, the trio saw water scarcity looming in the background.
Their insight was that some of the world’s largest industries—semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food and beverage—were facing acute water-related challenges long before the general public grasped the issue. “Without water, these industries don’t just slow down; they stop,” Bajpayee has often remarked. What Gradiant offered was not just a way to save water, but a way to rethink how it is used, recycled, and valued.
The Engineers Behind the Mission
Anurag Bajpayee, the company’s CEO, whose academic path took him to MIT, where he completed a PhD in Mechanical Engineering focused on water treatment technologies. It was there that he met Govindan, a fellow engineer and now Gradiant's co-founder and COO, whose expertise complemented his in fluid mechanics and process engineering.
Unlike many founders who drift towards the language of venture capital and corporate strategy, Anurag Bajpayee and his team remained grounded in the technical problem: how to make industrial water treatment more efficient, more affordable, and more sustainable. The company still bears the imprint of its founders’ engineering roots. Gradiant is less Silicon Valley startup and more MIT lab, albeit one that has quietly expanded across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.
What Gradiant Actually Does
The company specializes in designing and building bespoke water treatment and reuse systems for industrial clients. Its technologies are aimed at enabling factories and plants to reclaim water that would otherwise be discarded as waste, reducing both the amount of water withdrawn from natural sources and the volume of contaminated water discharged.
At the heart of Gradiant’s portfolio are proprietary technologies such as Counter Flow Reverse Osmosis (CFRO), Carrier Gas Extraction (CGE) and Selective Ion Recovery (SIR), developed from the Gradiant founders’ early research at MIT. Unlike traditional methods like reverse osmosis, these systems are designed to handle highly contaminated or complex wastewater streams, enabling clients to extract clean water even from previously unusable sources.
But Gradiant does not sell “one-size-fits-all” machines. Each project is tailored to the customer’s unique needs. For a semiconductor plant in Singapore, this might mean achieving ultrapure water reuse levels of 98%; for a food and beverage factory in Texas, it might be about safely treating wastewater for discharge while minimising energy consumption. The company's approach—sometimes called "solutioneering" internally—is both its competitive advantage and its raison d'être.
Expansion Without the Usual Hype
Gradiant’s growth has been quietly impressive. From its first commercial project in the oil and gas sector, it has gone on to complete over 500 installations worldwide. The company has raised more than $400 million in funding from a mix of institutional investors and private equity firms, achieving so-called “unicorn” status, with a valuation reportedly over $1 billion.
Unlike many green tech firms, Gradiant’s expansion has not been accompanied by flashy marketing campaigns or grandiose statements. Instead, the company has preferred to build credibility client by client, particularly in Asia, where water-intensive industries and growing environmental pressures make its services indispensable. Anurag Bajpayee, never one to speak in superlatives, frames the company’s expansion as a “response to urgent need” rather than a triumph of business.
Inside Gradiant’s Operations
At its core, Gradiant is still an engineering-first company. Anurag Bajpayee and Govindan, both technically trained and heavily involved in the company’s operations, have instilled a culture where R&D is not just a department but the lifeblood of the business. The firm currently holds more than 250 patents globally, a testament to its ongoing commitment to innovation.
But Gradiant’s success is not just about technology. The company has differentiated itself by offering not just equipment but full-service solutions, including project design, construction, operations, and maintenance. This full-stack approach has been particularly attractive to clients in highly regulated industries, who need water management solutions that work seamlessly and reliably without requiring deep in-house expertise.
Gradiant’s clients include some of the world’s largest manufacturers, including Fortune 500 companies in sectors like microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and energy. Some, like semiconductor producers, rely on Gradiant to help them meet stringent water reuse targets while maintaining ultra-clean production environments.
Navigating a Changing World
Gradiant operates at the intersection of several converging trends: climate change, regulatory pressure, and industrial decarbonisation. In many regions, water scarcity has become the limiting factor for industrial growth, sometimes more than energy availability or supply chain constraints.
While public attention often focuses on domestic water use, it is industries that consume the lion’s share of freshwater. Gradiant's pitch is straightforward: industries will have to do more with less, and Gradiant offers the tools to make that possible.
Anurag Bajpayee is keenly aware of the paradox that water, despite being vital, is often underpriced and undervalued, especially when compared to energy. “We don’t pay what it’s worth, only what it costs,” he told an audience at a recent conference. Yet, the landscape is shifting. Regulators, investors, and companies themselves are increasingly acknowledging water as both a business risk and a social responsibility.
What's Next for Gradiant?
Looking ahead, Gradiant appears poised to play a central role as industries adapt to water scarcity. Yet, Anurag Bajpayee remains cautious about the hype cycle. "The problem we’re working on isn’t going anywhere," he says. "It’s not a question of innovation alone, but of execution—of making sure these solutions actually reach the places that need them most."
In an era where water risk is increasingly material to business, Gradiant’s quiet, technically grounded approach may prove to be exactly what is needed.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Eastern Eye. The publication does not endorse or take responsibility for the accuracy of any statements made by the author.)