Medha Patkar
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| Medha Patkar | |
|---|---|
| born on December 1, 1954 | |
 Medha Patkar |
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| Movement: | Narmada Bachao Andolan |
| Major organizations: | National Alliance of People's Movements(NAPM) |
Medha Patkar is a social activist from India.
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[edit] Early life
Medha Patkar was born on December 1, 1954. Prior to being a social activist, Medha did her M.A. in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). She left her position on the faculty of TISS as well as her unfinished Ph. D. when she became involved in the tribal and peasant agitations in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, which eventually led to the organization of the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
[edit] Narmada Bachao Andolan
Medha Patkar is known prominently as the leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada Movement), which she founded along with Baba Amte. Narmada Bachao Andolan has been spearheading the movement against Narmada Dam Sardar Sarovar Dam which is being built on the Narmada river in Gujarat, India.
In 2001, Gujarat High Court gave an order asking the Government of India to consider imposing a ban on the Narmada Bachao Andolan for its "anti-national" activities. Allegations have also arisen that NBA has prevented people from claiming compensation offered by the government by harassing the officials as well as the local people. This has been claimed not only by the government but also the local people who alledged that NBA then took them in front of the media as proof of the Gujrat state's apathy towards them.
[edit] Hunger strike
On March 28,2006, she started a hunger-strike to protest against the decision of the authorities to raise the height of the Narmada Dam. She ended her 20 day fast on April 17, 2006, after the Supreme Court of India refused the Narmada Bachao Aandolan's appeal to stop the construction of the dam and gave the dam construction a conditional go ahead.
[edit] Criticism of Being Anti-Gujarati
Medha Patkar has frequently stated that the Narmada dam would only help the wealthy land owners of Gujarat. Her remarks and actions have helped galvanize anti-Gujarati racist sentiments in India, particularly among her fellow Marathis. Some Gujarati politicians have criticised her of being a hate-monger and of using anti-Gujarati sentiments to advance her cause [1].
[edit] National Alliance of People's Movements
Medha, along with other intellectuals and activists from various fields, formed the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), which isa network of groups campaigning against globalisation and the concentration of power among a few large corporations.
NAPM is a coming-together, a process of like-minded groups and movements who while retaining their autonomous identities, are working together to bring the struggle for a people-oriented development model to the center-stage of politics and public life.
[edit] Awards and Honours
Medha Patkar is one of the recipients of Right Livelihood Award for the year 1991. She received the 1999 M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award from Vigil India Movement. She has also received numerous other awards, including the Deena Nath Mangeshkar Award, Mahatma Phule Award, Goldman Environment Prize, Green Ribbon Award for Best International Political Campaigner by BBC, and the Human Rights Defender's Award from Amnesty International. She was also a Commissioner to the World Commission on Dams.
