Introduction

Medha Patkar is a noted Indian social activist and reformer turned politician. She has been declared as a candidate of Aam Aadmi Party for North East Mumbai for Loksabha elections 2014. Narmada Bachao Andolan was founded by her. She has also served as a National Convener of National Alliance of People`s Movements which is an alliance of progressive people`s organisations. She has also represented the World Commission on Dams in the research of the social, environmental and economic impacts of developing large dams at a global level. Medha Patkar is also known for filing a public interest petition in the Bombay High Court along with other members of National Alliance of People`s Movements, including Anna Hazare, against Lavasa. Her alternate view on liberalization and growth of country has rendered her much prominence in the social arena.

Early Life of Medha Patkar<

Medha Patkar was born on 1 December 1954 in Mumbai, Maharashtra to Vasant and Indu Khanolkar. Her parents are also socially and politically active. Her father had an active participation in the freedom struggle of India and had later assisted the organizational efforts of trade union. Her mother is associated with a women`s organization called Swadhar. Medha`s perspective and views were greatly influenced by her parent`s activism and she was expected to serve people through her career. She earned her Master`s Degree from Tata Institute of Social Sciences in social work. Subsequently she worked for about 5 years with voluntary organizations in Mumbai`s slums. She also worked for 2 years for the tribal districts of North-East Gujarat. Later she left her job as the faculty of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences along with her unfinished Ph.D and devoted herself completely for working with peasant and tribal communities in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Eventually her work led to the development of Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Career of Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar has founded Narmada Bachao Andolan and is still working with it along with a huge mass from peasant and tribal communities. She has led peaceful protests and massive marches against the construction of India`s Sardar Sarovar Dam which submerged vast expanses of farmland and forests, displacing huge tribal population. She has also founded the National Alliance of People`s Movements for promoting unity and providing strength to the country for fighting against oppression. Her work with World Commission on Dams included a detailed research and in depth recommendations for planning and building of large dams. She has also raised her voice against the Lavasa city along with other villagers, protesting against the environmental damage in Nagpur. She had shown her open support to the anti-corruption campaign of Anna Hazare, supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill. She has also extended her services to Save Sugar-Cooperatives Mission and many other social causes through various projects and campaigns.

Achievements of Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar has been honoured with several accolades for her valuable contribution to the Indian society. In 1991 she received Right Livelihood Award. In the following year she got Goldman Environment Award while in 1995 she received Green Ribbon Award for Best International Political Campaigner by BBC England. In the year 1999 she received four awards namely Human Rights Defender`s Award from Amnesty International, Germany, M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award from Vigil India Movement, Deena Nath Mangeshkar Award and Mahatma Phule Award.

Contributions of Medha Patkar

Contributions of Medha Patkar, the eminent social activist of India, are numerous which have aided the betterment of common man greatly. She has launched and led several movements for the cause of social, political and economic equality and justice in the country. She has been associated with a number of institutions working for social developments and public interests. Apart from this, Medha Patkar has also joined politics through Aam Aadmi Party as a party candidate for North East Mumbai for Loksabha elections 2014.

Narmada Bachao Andolan
Medha Patkar has founded the Narmada Bachao Andolan and is still working for the same. Her venture is supported by a mass base from peasant and tribal communities of the Indian states Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra along with support groups including 30 centres in the country. It also has a supporting coalition of NGOs in more than ten countries, known as Narmada Action Committee. She has successfully mobilized peaceful protests and massive marches against the building of Sardar Sarovar Dam which has submerged large expanses of farmland and forests and has displaced a number of tribal people.

National Alliance of People`s Movements
Medha Patkar has also established National Alliance of People`s Movements (NAPM) to promote unity and provide strength to the people`s movement for protesting against oppression. It is an alliance comprising over 250 grass root people`s struggles in India associated with an array of issues regarding social, economic and political justice and equality. Medha Patkar serves NAPM as its National Convener.

World Commission on Dams
World Commission on Dams is accredited as the first independent global multi-stakeholder Commission which was established to investigate about the power, water and alternative issues associated with dams all around the globe. She has worked with it as a Commissioner. Elaborate analyses of large dams and thorough recommendations on their planning have been provided by her.

Tata Nano Plant Singur
Tata Motors had once started the construction of a manufacturing unit of the Tata Nano car at Singur, West Bengal. This venture was protested by Medha Patkar as she believed that the local folks would not be able to derive any benefits form the factory and in turn would lose their agricultural land owing to the establishment of the industry. She was also arrested in the year 2006 for her protest as according to the police officers her provocation could have led to law and order crisis in the region.

Lavasa
Lavasa is a prolific project of Hindustan Construction Corporation based in Maharashtra. It is a city, which is yet to be completed. Medha Patkar had protested against the project along with the villagers of the region owing to the environmental damage in Nagpur due to the project. A PIL (Public Interest Litigation) was also filed by her in Supreme Court against the Lavasa project.

Jan Lokpal Andolan
Medha Patkar had lent her full support to the anti-corruption campaign of Anna Hazare and the introduction of Jan Lokpal bill. While participating in the Jan Lokpal Andolan in Delhi she had stated about the equality of every citizen as per the Indian Constitution and that the law for every person must be same in case of involvement in corruption.

Golibar Demolition
On 2nd and 3rd April 2013, a demolition occurred in Golibar area of Mumbai evacuating 43 houses and expelling over 200 people. Medha Patkar along with 500 slum dwellers initiated an indefinite fast for opposing any further demolition till the completion of in depth enquiry about the matter. She also demanded a halt of six projects by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority till the conduction of a proper enquiry.

Save Sugar-Cooperatives Mission
Medha Patkar also organizes protests for saving Sugar-Cooperative sector in Maharashtra form the clutches of politicians. She has firmly explained the interests of politicians for the prime plots of land, machinery and old equipments of sugar co-operatives. She also held them responsible for selling the industry assets at cheap rates.

Hiranandani Land Scam
Medha Patkar registered PIL in High Court along with other activists against the violations of property tycoon Niranjan Hiranandani who was building sprawling flats in place of affordable residences.

Kovvada Nuclear Project
Medha Patkar also opposed the possession of land Kovvada of Ranasthalam mandal in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. Her views suggested that the nuclear plant would create much havoc to ecology and people dwelling in the region.