Medha Patkar (néeKhanolkar; born 1 December 1954) is a politician and activist working on certain political and social issues raised by tribals, dalits, farmers, labourers and women facing injustice in India. She is an alumnus of TISS, a premier institute of social science research in India.[1][2][better source needed].
Patkar is the founder member of the movement called Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) in three states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. NBA has been engaged in a struggle for justice for the people affected by the dam projects related to the Sardar Sarovar dam project, especially those whose homes will be submerged but have not yet been rehabilitated. [citation needed] She is also one of the founders of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), an alliance of hundreds of progressive people's organizations.[3] In addition to the above, Patkar was a commissioner on the World Commission on Dams, which did thorough research on the environmental, social, political and economic aspects and impacts of the development of large dams globally and their alternatives.[4] She was the national co-ordinator and then convenor of National Alliance of People's Movements for many years and now continues to be an advisor to NAPM. Under the banner of NAPM, she has participated in and supported various mass struggles across India against inequity, non-sustainability, displacement, and injustice in the name of development. Her work challenges Casteism, Communalism, and all forms of discrimination. [citation needed] She has been a part of numerous teams and panels that work on initiating and formulating various national policies and enactments including those related to land acquisition, unorganized sector workers, hawkers, slum-dwellers and forest-dweller Adivasis. NAPM filed several public interest litigations including those against Adarsh society, Lavasa Megacity, Hiranandani(Powai) and as well as other builders.
In 2000, Medha Patkar was included in the 100 heroes of the 20th century by Time.[5]
However, noted Economist Swaminathan has criticized Medha Patkar in hindsight, saying she was wrong on the Narmada project. Prime Minister Modi said that Medha Patkar and her “urban Naxal” friends had opposed and delayed the Narmada project that had greatly benefited Gujarat.”[6] Expansion of the project in subsequent years has further brought further benefits from the dam, with irrigation water now available throughout the year to farmers across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. [7]
^"TISS official website – About TISS". Tiss.edu. TISS. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
^Patkar, Medha (18 September 2013). "'The unprotected class of workers is the real India". Rediff. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
^"National Alliance of People's Movement Website". Napm-india.org. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^"Final report of World Commission on dams" (PDF). United Nations Environment Programme. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^Golden, Frederic (26 April 2000), "A Century of Heroes", TIME, vol. 155, no. 17, pp. 54–57, PMID 12025333
^"Medha Patkar was wrong on Narmada project". The Times of India. 4 September 2022.
^"How Sardar Sarovar Dam is providing irrigation water in summer for the first time in history". Indian Express. 9 June 2022.
MedhaPatkar (née Khanolkar; born 1 December 1954) is a politician and activist working on certain political and social issues raised by tribals, dalits...
film and art personalities. The NBA, with its leading spokespersons MedhaPatkar and Baba Amte, received the Right Livelihood Award in 1991. After India's...
Bachao Andolan ("Save Narmada") movement one of whose popular leaders was MedhaPatkar, which fought against both unjust displacement of local inhabitants and...
Programme (UN-Habitat). Under his leadership, NCCL incepted an opposition to MedhaPatkar and her Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) in their attempts to stop construction...
Kashmir: "Azadi: The Only Way". Roy has campaigned along with activist MedhaPatkar against the Narmada dam project, saying that the dam will displace half...
"India's newest hill station builds for the future". 15 September 2009. "MedhaPatkar will hold the torch at Lavasa camp". Pune Mirror. 11 May 2012. Archived...
a part of the National Alliance of People's Movements and is led by MedhaPatkar. A demolition on 2 and 3 April 2013 in the Golibar area, Mumbai, Maharashtra...
Documentary-1996). The figurehead for most part of the protest is MedhaPatkar, the leader of the NBA. Patkar's role is questioned in the protest as she is accused...
suffering people in Laloor. Many national social activists in India, like MedhaPatkar, B. D. Sharma, Dr. Binayak Sen, Sarah Joseph, K. Ajitha, K. Venu and...
day, and its fifth day in Maharashtra. On 16 November 2022, activist MedhaPatkar joined Bharat Jodo Yatra in Washim. On 17 November 2022, actor Riya Sen...
criminal petition was filed with the Supreme Court of India accusing MedhaPatkar, Prashant Bhushan and Arundhati Roy of contempt of court for having demonstrated...
children affected by HIV/AIDS. Narmada Bachao Andolan: He worked alongside MedhaPatkar for the re-establishment of people displaced by the building of the Sardar...
the 151–200 band overall in India in 2023 and 98 among universities. MedhaPatkar, Social Activist Anu Aga, Former Chairman, Thermax Purnima Mane, President...
were shown to be protesting against him and his team. It was said by MedhaPatkar, that the protest was "stage managed" by the district administration...
across the country including Magsaysay Award Winner Sandeep Pandey and MedhaPatkar condemned the government for trying to implicate the activist. In an...
"Save Farmland" movement was supported by environmental activists like MedhaPatkar, Anuradha Talwar and Arundhati Roy. Banerjee's movement against displacement...
scam. Downtoearth.org.in (15 April 2011). Retrieved on 30 July 2011. "MedhaPatkar slams Pawar over alleged involvement in Lavasa project". Indian Express...
provided legal assistance to Narmada Bachao Andolan and worked closely with MedhaPatkar. Patel was awarded Bhagirath Human Rights Award in 2002. Patel died at...
people reportedly joined Hazare in his fast. Social activists, including MedhaPatkar, Arvind Kejriwal, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, and Jayaprakash Narayan...
harm the interests of the region in the state. Environmental activist MedhaPatkar said that the project not only will displace several thousands of families...
Niro, Amitabh Bachchan, A R Rahman, Shekhar Kapur, Girish Karnad and MedhaPatkar. He is also the recipient of the 2015 Karmaveer Puraskar. Harish catapulted...
Yadav, and Kejriwal addressed it via video conferencing. Aruna Roy and MedhaPatkar, who had differences with Kejriwal on certain issues, supported him after...
Singh joined Bharat Jodo Yatra in Nanded. 16 November 2022: activist MedhaPatkar joined Bharat Jodo Yatra in Washim. 17 November 2022: Actress Riya Sen...
The Communist Party of India leaders like P. Prasad a close aide of MedhaPatkar was also at the forefront of the struggle. They have approached National...
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