Medha Patkar
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| Medha Patkar | |
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![]() Medha Patkar |
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| Movement: | Narmada Bachao Andolan |
| Major organizations: | National Alliance of People's Movements(NAPM) |
Medha Patkar (Marathi: मेधा पाटकर, born December 1, 1954) is a Indian social activist. She is known for her role in Narmada Bachao Andolan.
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[edit] Personal life and background
Medha Patkar was born in Mumbai, India to Indu and Vasant Khanolkar, a trade union leader and freedom fighter.[1] She was raised by politically and socially active parents. Her father actively fought in the Indian Independence Movement. Medha's mother was a member of Swadar, an organization setup to help and assist women suffering difficult circumstances arising out of financial, educational, and health related problems. Her parents' activism played a role in shaping her philosophical views.[2]
She got her M.A. in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
She was married once but later got divorced amicably.[3]
[edit] Career
After her Master's degree, she worked for seven years with voluntary organizations in erstwhile
[edit] Awards and honors
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.
[edit] References
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1495320,prtpage-1.cms
- ^ "Medha Patkar: Biography" (PDF). Women in World History. http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/imow-Patkar.pdf. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ^ A mother speaks:I worry for her but I know Medha is right from Times Of India
[edit] External links
- Friends of the river Narmada website
- Right Livelihood Award website
- Articles written by Medha Patkar
- Speech by Medha Patkar at the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague, March 2000
- Interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!, March 2009 (video, audio, and print transcript)
