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Rajendra Singh: Difference between revisions
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| caption = Rajendra Singh at [[Palakkad]] in April 2017. | | caption = Rajendra Singh at [[Palakkad]] in April 2017. | ||
| birth_date = | | birth_date = 6 August 1959 | ||
| birth_place = [[Bagpat district|Daula]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]] | | birth_place = [[Bagpat district|Daula]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]] | ||
| death_date = | | death_date = | ||
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'''Rajendra Singh''' (born 6 August 1959) is an Indian | '''Rajendra Singh''' (born 6 August 1959) is an Indian [[Water conservation|water conservationist]] and [[environmentalist]] from [[Alwar district]], [[Rajasthan]] in [[India]]. Also known as "waterman of India", he won the [[Magsaysay Award]] in 2001 and [[Stockholm Water Prize]] in 2015. He runs an [[NGO]] called '[[Tarun Bharat Sangh]]' (TBS), which was founded in 1975. The NGO based in village hori-Bhikampura in Thanagazi tehsil, near [[Sariska Tiger Reserve]], has been instrumental in fighting the slow bureaucracy, mining lobby and has helped villagers take charge of water management in their [[semi-arid]] area as it lies close to [[Thar Desert]], through the use of [[johad]], rainwater storage tanks, [[check dam]]s and other time-tested as well as path-breaking techniques. Starting from a single village in 1985, over the years TBS helped build over 8,600 johads and other water conservation structures to collect rainwater for the dry seasons, has brought water back to over 1,000 villages and revived five rivers in Rajasthan, [[Arvari River|Arvari]], Ruparel, Sarsa, Bhagani and [[Jahajwali River|Jahajwali]].<ref name=front/><ref name=tri/><ref name=guar/> | ||
He is one of the members of the [[National Ganga River Basin Authority]] (NGRBA) which was set up in 2009, by the [[Government of India]] as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the [[Ganges]] (Ganga), in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120710071911/http://moef.nic.in/modules/recent-initiatives/NGRBA/PolicyMaking.html p.2. Composition of the Authority:] [[Ministry of Environment and Forests (India)|Ministry of Environment]].</ref> In the UK he is a founder member of an NGO called the [http://www.theflowpartnership.org/#introduction Flow Partnership] . which aims to counter the negative effects of soil erosion and flooding. | He is one of the members of the [[National Ganga River Basin Authority]] (NGRBA) which was set up in 2009, by the [[Government of India]] as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the [[Ganges]] (Ganga), in exercise of the powers conferred under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120710071911/http://moef.nic.in/modules/recent-initiatives/NGRBA/PolicyMaking.html p.2. Composition of the Authority:] [[Ministry of Environment and Forests (India)|Ministry of Environment]].</ref> In the UK he is a founder member of an NGO called the [http://www.theflowpartnership.org/#introduction Flow Partnership] . which aims to counter the negative effects of soil erosion and flooding. | ||
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An important event in his life came in 1974, when still in high school, Ramesh Sharma, a member of [[Gandhi Peace Foundation]] visited their family home in Meerut, this opened up young Rajendra's mind, to issues of village improvement, as Sharma went about cleaning the village, opened a ''vachnalaya'' (library) and even got involved in settling local conflicts; soon he involved Rajendra in an alcoholism eradication program.<ref name=bio/> Another important influence was an English language teacher in school, Pratap Singh, who started discussing politics and social issues with his students after class. At this time [[The Emergency (India)|Emergency]] was imposed in 1975, making him aware about the issues of democracy and formulate independent views.<ref name=bio/> After finishing high school education. He enrolled for post graduation in Hindi literature, at another college in [[Baraut]], affiliated with [[Allahabad University]]. He became the leader of a local chapter of ''Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Vahini'', a student activism organisation founded by [[Jaiprakash Narayan]] ([[Magsaysay Award]], 1965), though after Jaiprakash fell ill, the internal power politics disillusioned him. Dr. Singh is a BAMS doctor by education. | An important event in his life came in 1974, when still in high school, Ramesh Sharma, a member of [[Gandhi Peace Foundation]] visited their family home in Meerut, this opened up young Rajendra's mind, to issues of village improvement, as Sharma went about cleaning the village, opened a ''vachnalaya'' (library) and even got involved in settling local conflicts; soon he involved Rajendra in an alcoholism eradication program.<ref name=bio/> Another important influence was an English language teacher in school, Pratap Singh, who started discussing politics and social issues with his students after class. At this time [[The Emergency (India)|Emergency]] was imposed in 1975, making him aware about the issues of democracy and formulate independent views.<ref name=bio/> After finishing high school education. He enrolled for post graduation in Hindi literature, at another college in [[Baraut]], affiliated with [[Allahabad University]]. He became the leader of a local chapter of ''Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Vahini'', a student activism organisation founded by [[Jaiprakash Narayan]] ([[Magsaysay Award]], 1965), though after Jaiprakash fell ill, the internal power politics disillusioned him. Dr. Singh is a BAMS doctor by education. | ||
==Career | ==Career== | ||
After completing his studies, he joined government service in 1980, and started his career as a National Service Volunteer for education in [[Jaipur]], from where he was appointed to oversee [[adult education]] schools in [[Dausa district]] in Rajasthan.<ref name=bio/> Meanwhile, he joined ''[[Tarun Bharat Sangh]]a'' (Young India Association) or TBS, an organization formed by officer and students of [[Jaipur University]] to aid victims of a campus fire. Subsequently, after three years when he became General Secretary of the organisation, he questioned the organisation, which had been dabbling with various issues, for its inadequacy in having a substantial impact. Finally in 1984 the entire board resigned leaving the organization to him. One of the first tasks he took up was working with a group of nomad blacksmiths, who though traveled from village to village had little support from anyone. This exposure inspired him to work closely with people. However back at work, he was feeling increasingly frustrated by the apathy of his superiors towards developmental issues and his own inability to have a larger impact, he left his job in 1984. He sold all his household goods for Rs 23,000 and took a bus ticket for the last stop, on boarded bus going into interior of Rajasthan, along with him were four friends from Tarun Bharat Sangha. The last stop turned out to be Kishori village in Thanagazi tehsil in [[Alwar district]], and the day was 2 October 1985. After initial skepticism, the villagers of neighboring village Bhikampura accepted him, and here they found a place to stay. Soon, he started a small Ayurvedic medicine practice in nearby village Gopalpura, while his colleagues went out about promoting education in the villages.<ref name=bio/> | After completing his studies, he joined government service in 1980, and started his career as a National Service Volunteer for education in [[Jaipur]], from where he was appointed to oversee [[adult education]] schools in [[Dausa district]] in Rajasthan.<ref name=bio/> Meanwhile, he joined ''[[Tarun Bharat Sangh]]a'' (Young India Association) or TBS, an organization formed by officer and students of [[Jaipur University]] to aid victims of a campus fire. Subsequently, after three years when he became General Secretary of the organisation, he questioned the organisation, which had been dabbling with various issues, for its inadequacy in having a substantial impact. Finally in 1984 the entire board resigned leaving the organization to him. One of the first tasks he took up was working with a group of nomad blacksmiths, who though traveled from village to village had little support from anyone. This exposure inspired him to work closely with people. However back at work, he was feeling increasingly frustrated by the apathy of his superiors towards developmental issues and his own inability to have a larger impact, he left his job in 1984. He sold all his household goods for Rs 23,000 and took a bus ticket for the last stop, on boarded bus going into interior of Rajasthan, along with him were four friends from Tarun Bharat Sangha. The last stop turned out to be Kishori village in Thanagazi tehsil in [[Alwar district]], and the day was 2 October 1985. After initial skepticism, the villagers of neighboring village Bhikampura accepted him, and here they found a place to stay. Soon, he started a small Ayurvedic medicine practice in nearby village Gopalpura, while his colleagues went out about promoting education in the villages.<ref name=bio/> | ||
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The struggle for the life and devoted water conservation efforts of Rajendra Singh is being produced by the [[film producer]] and [[Film director|director]] Ravindra Chauhan under the name of the documentary ''Jal Purush Ki Kahani''. | The struggle for the life and devoted water conservation efforts of Rajendra Singh is being produced by the [[film producer]] and [[Film director|director]] Ravindra Chauhan under the name of the documentary ''Jal Purush Ki Kahani''. | ||
==Awards | ==Awards and honours== | ||
* In 2001, Ramon [[Magsaysay Award]] for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in [[Community-based conservation|community-based]] efforts in [[water harvesting]] and [[water management]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Singh, Rajendra|url=http://rmaward.asia/awardees/singh-rajendra/|publisher=The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> | * In 2001, Ramon [[Magsaysay Award]] for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in [[Community-based conservation|community-based]] efforts in [[water harvesting]] and [[water management]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Singh, Rajendra|url=http://rmaward.asia/awardees/singh-rajendra/|publisher=The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> | ||
* In 2005, ''Jamnalal Bajaj Award'' for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shri Rajendra Singh|url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/awards/archives/2005/science-and-technology/rajendra-singh|publisher=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> | * In 2005, ''Jamnalal Bajaj Award'' for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shri Rajendra Singh|url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/awards/archives/2005/science-and-technology/rajendra-singh|publisher=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref> | ||