Senior journalist and founding member of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Rakesh Dewan reflects on the importance of documenting the Narmada struggle
Rakesh grew up on the banks of the Narmada River and has witnessed its struggles since childhood. Over the decades, he has been deeply engaged with a range of social and environmental initiatives in the state, particularly those around large dams on the Narmada.
One of his early and significant involvements was with Vidushak Karkhana, a community-cantered collective in Shahdol district. The group emphasized grassroots development, resource management, local culture, and history – helping people shape their own development plans.
Rakesh also played a stellar role in the Sarvodaya Press Service (SPS), a 60-year-old Gandhian alternative news and feature agency, where he has served as editor and continues to remain a driving force.
His engagement with the struggles around dams on the Narmada began with the Mitti Bachao Andolan, which emerged in response to severe waterlogging caused by the irrigation canals of the Tawa Dam. From the late 1970s and early 1980s, he became actively involved in documenting, writing, and resisting the impacts of the Sardar Sarovar Dam—well before the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) formally took shape. Through articles in newspapers, participation in regional meetings, and tireless networking with journalists across the country at a time when communication systems were extremely limited, he helped make the Narmada issue visible to a wider public. His contribution to the formation and growth of the NBA was therefore crucial.
Interview Duration:
00:23:35
Language:
Hindi, Subtitles in English
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